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14 September 2005

15 September News ...

Bettini On Form For Worlds

It was quite a stage yesterday in the Vuelta a España (stage 16). Paolo Bettini (Quick-Step) lobbed a molotov cocktail into the Fassa Bortolo train in the final meters. The attack by the Olympic champion was aided by a slight rise in gradient towards the finish line. With the win Bettini signaled his strength for the World Championships in 11 days.

"This success is a liberation after having suffered so much this season, it was my most difficult year as a professional," summed up il Grillo after the stage. It has been a season of ups and downs, winning stages and wearing the maglia rosa in the Giro d'Italia, while battling with form in the spring classics. "I especially savor this victory, I value it even more than a classic."

Bettini bettered Alessandro Petacchi in the sprint, both of whom are aiming at a rainbow jersey on 25 September. "Petacchi is confirming his great form," said il Grillo, who now has won stages in all grand tours. "But I have the condition to pull off a sprint ... He [Petacchi] was not able to recover and overtake me because of the slight 2% grade ... This was my type of finish, I really wanted to win here." Bettini has finished in front of all of the greats, "I was missing a photo with 'Peta', I already have one with Cipollini, Freire, Zabel ... "

For the World Championships Paolo has his own intentions, he will help Ale-Jet (or 'Peta') but also look for any opportunities of his own. "With Petacchi in the squadra, it is a clear case of the whole national team sprinting for him. But Italia is not only presenting one possible option, remember me in 2004?" Last year in Verona Bettini, team leader, had troubles and the team had to switch their focus mid-race. "With Petacchi we will try to win the sprint, while I will try to profit from the situations that could arise preceding the sprint."

Read The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap for Stage 16, Il Grillo the Giant Killer.

Ale-Jet Zonked in the Finale

It was a silent night at the team hotel for Fassa Bortolo in Spain. Yesterday in stage 16 of the Vuelta a España Alessandro Petacchi could not pull off the sprint after a perfect lead-out by his squadra. The Fassa Bortolo fast-man arrived 2nd to his compatriot, Paolo Bettini.

The significance is that Ale-Jet could not respond when the race did not go as planned. This has terrible implications for Italian national DS, Franco Ballerini, who is planning the Squadra Azzurra around the Fassa rider. The World Championships will be different, the finale is flat, unlike the last kilometer of stage 16. But there is the problem of the final U-turn with 600 meters to the line. The Squadra Azzurra can give a perfect lead-out, but such a tight turn lends itself to a fast, jumping attack. If a rider can get a 10 meter advantage out of the final corner then Ale-Jet will have his hands full to close it down.

60th Vuelta a España:
Startlist
Stages and Maps, Key Stages, Overall Map
Photos, Dust Devil's Daily Wrap

Bennati On Track For Azzurra

Yesterday in stage 2 of the Tour de Pologne Daniele Bennati continued with his successful fall. The Lampre-Caffita rider took advantage of the work of Quick-Step, who were riding for Luca Paolini. Just last month in Germany, in the Deucthland Tour, Bennati swept all three sprint stages. Now in Poland he is showing his form is still on target for the upcoming World Championships.

"To battle one like Paolini, who last year finished 3rd in the Worlds in Verona and in this moment is going very strong, is an important signal. The national squadra will be decided soon, and this is an additional glimmer for me," said Bennati after the stage win. Franco Ballerini will announce the Squadra Azzurra this Friday in Milano. (Read: Franco Ballerini Selects Squadra, 13 September)

Tour de Pologne, Poland: 12 - 18 September

Preview and Stages, Overall Map, Startlist, Photos

Spanish Squadra Announced

Yesterday in Valladolid Paco Antequera, Spanish national team selector, announced the 9-man squadra for the World Championships. The team will be racing in their home country and will want to impress. Antequera was dealt a blow when Oscar Freire, 3X World Champion, decided not to race due to physical problems. The team will instead go to Madrid (25 September) with Igor Astarloa and Alejandro Valverde as co-captains.

Full Team:
Alejandro Valverde (Illes Balears)
Igor Astarloa (Barloworld-Valsir)
Miguel Angel Perdiguero (Phonak)
Juan Antonio Flecha (Fassa Bortolo)
Francisco Mancebo (Illes Balears)
Marcos Serrano (Liberty Seguros-Würth)
Constantino Zaballa (Saunier Duval-Prodir)
Oscar Pereiro (Phonak)
Benjamin Noval (Discovery Channel)

TT Team:
Iván Gutiérrez (Illes Balears)
Rubén Plaza (Comunidad Valenciana)
(read: Spanish Squadra Decision Time for Antequera, 10 September)

Six Liberty Riders To Boston

Liberty Seguros-Würth has announced that six of their riders will travel to Boston, Massachusetts on 29 September. They will spend five days in the USA, the main goal will be to pay a visit to the sponsor's parent company, Liberty Mutual. Those traveling to the USA will be: Roberto Heras, Igor González de Galdeano, Joseba Beloki, Marcos Serrano, Alberto Contador and Luis León Sánchez. The six riders will be accompanied by team DS, Manolo Saiz.

While in Boston the riders plan to take part in the 'Rodman Ride For Kids'. Also, for Alberto Contador and Luis León Sánchez, there is a visit planned to the wind tunnel. The two riders will work on honing their TT skills in the famous MIT tunnel.

13 September News ...