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1 December 2005

2 December News ...

Terme Time for Lampre-Fondital

The Lampre-Fondital squadra officially met yesterday for the first time in Montecatini Terme (Toscana). The Italian squadra of Giuseppe Martinelli and Giuseppe Saronni are spending four days together at the terme (30 November - 3 December). Team captain, Damiano Cunego, will have a chance to introduce himself to the new members while relaxing at the Grand Hotel du Park et Regina.

There will be 25 riders under the direction of Martinelli and Saronni for 2006. Every rider will be handed their team kits and bikes while in Montecatini Terme. The purpose of the first gathering is more organizational than it is training, although there will be some riding. The team will meet again, for a true training camp, in Terracina (Lazio) from 14 - 26 January.

While in Montecatini Terme il Piccolo Principe will be rooming with new team member, Marzio Bruseghin (31). The Italian, from Fassa Bortolo, is supposed to be the new diesel engine that will replace the void left by Eddy Mazzoleni (to T-Mobile). BiciRace was unable to find out if Bruseghin is yet a fan of the Doors, like Cunego. But certainly by the Giro d'Italia (May) Bruseghin will know all about the Lizard King.

Read:
Camps Commence, 28 November
Lampre-Fondital Official, 12 November
Damiano Cunego and Lampre Schedules, 2 November
Lampre-(Caffita or Fondital) Changes, 2 November

Milram Meet and Greet

Milram fast-man, Alessandro Petacchi, is safe back at his home in Liguria. The Italian spent the past two days in Bremen (Germany) for organizational meetings with his new squadra, Milram. The new ProTour formation is backed by a German sponsor but they are Italian licensed.

Milram will meet again for some serious training in Donoratico (Toscana) from 12 to 21 December. It will be then that Ale-Jet will get to log some of his first training kilometers with new teammate, and cycling superstar, Erik Zabel. The two will work hand-in-hand for the 2006 season to ensure plenty of sprint wins for the blue German/Italian team. Milram will meet again for a second camp from 11 to 22 January.

Read:
2006 Milram Team Colors, 23 November
Milram Builds with Neo-Pros, 25 October

Bettini Plans Early Season for Flanders

Paolo Bettini (31) is planning his early season with one goal in mind: Winning the Tour of Flanders. The Italian superstar has won almost every classic there is to win, including the Olympics, but he still lacks the Ronde van Vlaanderen. This spring, 2 April, he aims to set matters straight by winning the 90th running of the Belgian race.

Il Grillo's training was supposed to start two days ago, but rain and foul weather have postponed any bike riding until today. The Italian from Livorno will start logging the kilometers before meeting with his Quick-Step teammates for the first camp, 12 to 16 December. After the first gathering it will be more hours on his Time machine, leading to the second team camp in Bari (Puglia), 11 to 20 January.

Bettini will make his competitive debut in the Vuelta a Mallorca (5 - 7 February). Then the Italian has scheduled following the races (all non-ProTour) as lead-up to Flanders: Trofeo Laigueglia (14 February), Vuelta Comunidad Valenciana (21 - 25 February) and Settimana Coppi e Bartali (21 - 25 March). Following the Belgian Classic, Bettini will shift all of his focus to winning the World Championships in Salzburg (24 September).

Read:
Di Luca and Bettini Awarded, 29 November
In The 2006 Quick-Step Mix, 22 October

Naturino-Sapore di Mare in Napoli

The squadra of Vincenzino Santoni, Naturino-Sapore di Mare, is together for the first official camp of the 2006 season. Yesterday 14 of the 16 riders met at the Grande Hotel Ischia Lido in Ischia (Campania), an island just off the coast of Napoli. Team star, Murilo Fischer, could not attend because he is still in his home country of Brazil for the holidays. The camp will conclude on Sunday, 4 December.

Read:
Fischer Scores Piemonte and Eyes Lombardia, 14 October
Bettini and Fischer in GP Beghelli, 10 October

Gino Bartali Shows Saturday

Tifosi of past cycling legend Gino Bartali will want to take note of a new film produced by Rai. The Italian media giant produced a film, entitled Gino Bartali, l'intramontabile, based on the Italian cycling hero that will be shown this Saturday at the Festival Grinzane in Stresa (Piemonte). After the film will be a discussion forum on the life of Bartali, in attendance will be Andrea (son of Gino), Pierfrancesco Favino (Bartali in the film) and Simone Gandolfo (Fausto Coppi in the film).

30 November News ...