BiciRace.com :: News :: November 2005

News :: November 2005

8 November 2005

Giro Jitters: Italians in Wallonne

The 2006 Giro d'Italia route will be announced this Saturday in Milano. It is known that the race will depart from Seraing (Belgium) on Saturday 6 May with a 6K prologue, with the following three stages also in the Wallonne region. This region is steeped with Italian and cycling history, and thus makes a great place for the start of the 89th Giro. Years ago many Italians emigrated to the Wallonne region for mining work and now the region is overflowing with Belgians who are proud of their southern roots.

The Italian cyclists have a long history of dominating in the famous Wallonne races: La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. In the early and mid 1990's it was Moreno Argentin who won La Flèche Wallonne three times and the Liège-Bastogne-Liège four times. Following in the footsteps of Argentin was Michele Bartoli. The Toscano won La Flèche Wallonne once and Liège twice in the late 1990's.

The current crop of Italians have also made the southern zone of Belgium their stomping grounds. Paolo Bettini has won Liège twice, Davide Rebellin has scored at Liège and Flèche, and this last year Danilo Di Luca laid the foundations for his ProTour overall victory by winning Flèche. So do not be surprised when you see the numerous Italian flags and tifosi lining the Wallonne streets this May.

The Wallonne government knows that bringing a top-flight event like the Giro d'Italia to their turf will help with earning tourism money. The cost of hosting the Giro caravan for one week is estimated to cost the Wallonne government 1,150,000€ (euro). They should easily be able to recapture their investment, and more, through tourism during, and after, the Giro passes.

The Giro has started outside of Italy seven times before. Most recently was the departure of the 2002 Giro in Groningen (Holland) to celebrate the new Euro currency. Before Groningen it was 1998 Nice (France), 1996 Athens (Greece), 1974 Vatican, 1973 Verviers (Belgium), 1966 Monte Carlo and 1965 San Marino. The last time the race started in Belgium (1973) there was a two-man time trial to start the Giro. Eddy Merckx and Roger Swerts won the TT, with the Cannibal going on to win the final overall.

Keep it tuned to BiciRace.com for coverage of the 89th Giro d'Italia route presentation.

Read:
Floyd Landis to Race Giro d'Italia, 29 October
2006 Giro d'Italia Welcomes Jan Ullrich, 13 October
The 89th Giro d'Italia Takes Shape, 30 September
Palermo for the 90th Giro d'Italia, 5 August
2006 Giro d'Italia to Start in Belgium, 20 July

Française Des Jeux Rocks Steady

McGee Rides In Vuelta, photo: © Unipublic

The cool all-white squadra of Marc Madiot continues with the same strong lineup for 2006. Madiot has a sponsorship deal with the French gaming company until the end of 2008. This type of long term sponsorship allows for steady growth of a team from year to year.

Wilson Out, photo: BiciRace.com

For 2006 there will be minimal gambling with the team line-up. There are four riders leaving and three coming in FDJ's door. Next year will see the departure of three Australian boys: Cooke (27), Renshaw (23) and Wilson (28). Previously there was a big Aussie posse within the French team, a posse that will be missed most by Bradley McGee (29). McGee was rumored to be leaving but he will continue with the team that has seen him win stages in the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, along with the leader's jerseys in all three Grand Tours.

Below are the changes in the team for the upcoming 2006 season.

Joining Française Des Jeux:
Eric Leblacher (from Crédit Agricole)
Gustav Erik Larsson (from Fassa Bortolo)
Sébastien Joly (from Crédit Agricole)

Out of the Madiot team:
Baden Cooke (to Unibet)
Fabien Sanchez (to Cofidis)
Mark Renshaw (to Crédit Agricole)
Matthew Wilson (to Unibet)

Returning Riders:
Arnaud Gerard
Benoît Vaugrenard
Bernhard Eisel
Bradley McGee
Carlos Da Cruz
Christophe Detilloux
Christophe Mengin
Cyrille Monnerais
Francis Mourey
Freddy Bichot
Frédéric Finot
Frédéric Guesdon
Ian McLeod
Jussi Veikkanen
Jérémy Roy
Lilian Jegou
Ludovic Auger
Mickaël Delage
Philippe Gilbert
Rémy Di Gregorio
Sandy Casar
Thomas Lövkvist

Read:
Swede Larsson to Française Des Jeux, 4 November
First Aussie in All Three, 29 August
McGee Climbs and Sprints in the Tour de Suisse, 14 June
FDJ Day for Eisel, 12 June

7 November News ...