BiciRace.com :: News :: October 2005

News :: October 2005

27 October 2005

OLN and Rai Have Race Agreement

Good news for the tifosi Americani, OLN and Rai have signed an agreement for the Giro d'Italia and the Italian classics to be transmitted in the United States. The Rai network, who controls the transmission of most of the Italian races, has agreed to have the TV wave transmission of the three biggest races: Giro d'Italia, Milano-Sanremo and Giro di Lombardia.

There is also a similar transmission agreement with other countries for the transmission: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and Japan. "The action that the Giro continues to be transmitted in the USA is of grand importance," said Nicola Cona, administrator of Rai Trade. "... Because it offers the best cyclists of the world and, for Italy, it is a sport that helps tourism."

The Northern Classics for Petacchi

Grand Tour Stage Winner, photo: © Unipublic

2006 will be a year of diversification for Alessandro Petacchi (31). Grand Tour stage wins are no longer enough for the fast man from Marina di Massa, next year will put his sights on the big classics. Ale-Jet will specifically look for victory in the Milano-Sanremo, Tour of Flanders, Gent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix.

Petacchi will face some stiff competition in all the events. We can expect a good fight from the little Italian, Paolo Bettini, who lacks the Tour de Flanders in his collection of wins. Bettini's teammate and last year's winner, Tom Boonen, will be on the hunt for a great performance in his new rainbow jersey. The news, coming from Petacchi, appears as some sort of revenge for the lost World Championships.

So what is Ale-Jet up to? He has been in talks with Michele Bartoli, his former teammate at Fassa Bortolo in 2002 to 2004. Il Gatto and Ale-Jet started seriously talking last week, but for many years Bartoli believed that Petacchi could do well in the North. Il Gatto knows the classics, having won Liège twice and Flanders once. Over the winter the two plan to train together on the hills near Bartoli's home (the one near Monte Carlo), which are similar to those of Flanders.

Petacchi is looking for new motivation, not to be only known as a grand tour stage winner. He says that the two major goals are Sanremo and Flanders, then he will approach Gent-Wevelgem and Roubaix to see what will happen. From Bartoli the sprinter is learning how to move in the peloton, and how to confront the many attacks.

The super-sprinter has ridden Flanders twice before, in 1997 and in 2002. In 1997 he did not make it that far, and in 2002 he was in a day long escape that was caught after 200K, after which he abandoned the race. Bartoli believes that Petacchi has the ideal build for the pavé, but that he lacks the experience. Bravo Ale-Jet! BiciRace.com is excited at the prospect of seeing you compete in the great northern races.

Read: This is the End ... Alessandro Petacchi, 7 October

Portalupi Salumi Builds with Belli

Wladimir Belli (35) is close to signing with the new Italian (non-ProTour) squadra Portalupi Salumi. You might remember Belli, currently with Domina Vacanze, from his punch-up at the Giro d'Italia a few years back, but the Italian is always capable of putting in solid performances. Antonio Fermo, Team Manager, hopes to have Belli's signature in the next two days. Also, there is the expected news of a second sponsor.

Portalupi Salumi for 2006
Kristjan Fajt (from Tenax-Nobili Rubinetterie)
Kyrylo Pospyeyev (from Acqua & Sapone)

Possible Signings:
Andrea Sanvido (neo-pro)
Angelo Furlan (from Domina Vacanze)
Daniele Dinucci (neo-pro)
Luca Solari (from Domina Vacanze)
Miculà De Matteis (neo-pro)
Raffaele Illiano (from Selle Italia-Colombia)
Santo Anzà (from Acqua & Sapone)
Wladimir Belli (from Domina Vacanze)

26 October News ...