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14 December 2005

15 December News ...

Liberty Seguros-Würth in Puente Viesgo

Liberty Seguros-Würth, have gathered in Puente Viesgo (Cantabria) for the first team camp (13 to 16 December). Manolo Saiz, Team Manager, has called 25 of the Liberty boys to the resort town on the northern coast of Spain.

The Spanish squadra will be without their two Aussies, Allan Davis and Aaron Kemps, who are in Australia for the winter and awaiting the upcoming Tour Down Under. However, the team's new signings were present: brothers, Aitor and Unai Osa (from Illes Balears), the two Kazakh's, Alexander Vinokourov (T-Mobile) and Andrey Kashechkin (Crédit Agricole), Serguei Yakovlev (from T-Mobile), Alexei Markov (Milaneza Maia), Eladio Sánchez and José Antonio Redondo and José Joaquín Rojas (all neo-pros).

Yesterday was a day for the riders to meet one another, a small team presentation, and a light workout. Because of the rain the team chose to hold the first team ride on trainers in the hotel's basement. The Puente Viesgo camp will conclude for the Liberty boys on Friday.

Read:
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Liberty Goes On, 28 November
Liberty Seguros-Würth Team Update, 1 November

Manuel Piñera Resigns from Liberty

Manuel Piñera has resigned from his position as president of the Liberty Seguros-Würth squadra. The decision was made by Piñera to step down after the season of bad publicity for the team, stemming from the doping cases of Roberto Heras, Nuno Ribeiro and Isidro Nozal. The Madrid businessman was key in bringing the American based insurance firm, Liberty, onboard as a sponsor in 2004.

Manuel Piñera is the maximum shareholder of Active Bay, the management company for the squadra, and he has now placed his shares up for sale. Presumably the other two partners, Manolo Saiz (Team Manager) or Pablo Antón (Team DS) will buy them. However, the resignation of Piñera leaves BiciRace.com to wonder if there might be some other management changes.

Read:
Roberto Heras in Trouble for EPO Use, 26 November
Isidro Nozal Latest Doping Casualty, 7 June
Ribeiro Dismissed by Liberty Management, 8 May

Congratulations for Allan Davis and Family

Allan Davis (25) has announced from Australia that he is the proud new father. The Liberty Seguros-Würth rider and his wife, Andrea, welcomed their new baby boy, Harrison Allan. The young Aussie weighs in at 4Kg, and he is expected to make his professional debut as a classics rider with an Italian based team in 2025. "Tanti Auguri" to the Davis family!

Read:
Davis With Deserved Win, 7 August
Allan Davis Interview, 2 May
Davis, A Rising Tidal Wave, 15 April

2006 Vuelta a España Route Announced Today

Today will be the presentation of the 61st Vuelta a España. Unipublic, organizers of the Vuelta, will announce the 2006 route today from Madrid. The third of three Grand Tours will take place from 26 August to 17 September on the Iberian peninsula.

The route of the Vuelta has been kept under tight lock and key, unlike the 2006 Giro d'Italia which was leaked early. BiciRace.com only knows that the 61st edition will start from Málaga (southern Spain) with a prologue, and a final typical flat stage into Madrid. There is some anticipation of a bomb being dropped in the form of a radical route, this would say to the UPTC (UCI ProTour Council) that the 'we can do what we like now that we are not part of your series.' Stay tuned to BiciRace.com!

Read:
2007 Vuelta to Depart from Galicia, 11 December
2005 Vuelta a España

Franco Ballerini Back from Salzburg

Franco Ballerini, Italian National DS, is back from previewing the 2006 World Championships course in Salzburg (Austria). The Italian went to inspect the course that on 24 September will determine the rainbow jersey. "It will be a course for a rider like Vinokourov, a rider that can go the distance," said Ballerini.

Ballerini inspected the rolling 22.2K course, a circuit around Salzburg that will be completed 13 times for a total of 289K. The distance makes it the longest World Championship since 1964 in Sallanches (France). Ballerini commented on the two main climbs that come in the middle of the course, noting special attention to the false-flat after the fist climb to Zilling (545m) that is followed by a rapid decent with two tricky turns.

The final climb to Elixhausen (547m) has Ballerini concerned: the first 500m at 12%, followed by rest for 400m, then another difficult 150m. After the climb there is another quick downhill, and a rolling run in, for a total of 9K. Ballerini thinks that if a rider gets away here then there will be no seeing him again until he is awarded gold on the podium. "Italy has the right guys for this course, Bettini could do well there," finished Ballerini.

Read:Ballerini Plans Inspection of Salzburg, 3 December
2006 World Championships Road Map

Zabel and Petacchi with Toscana

Milram is in Castagneto Carducci (Toscana) for their first serious training camp. Alessandro Petacchi and Erik Zabel, along with the rest of the squadra, will partake in training, photo sessions and team meetings over the nine days (12 to 21 December). Gianluigi Stanga, Team Manager, met with most of his boys to determine their 2006 schedules.

The Italian, Petacchi (31), is starting in GP Costa degli Etruschi (4 February), then Spain and Tirreno-Adriatico (8 - 14 March) to build up for the Milano-Sanremo (18 March). After La Classicissima he will make a run at the northern Classics: Tour of Flanders and Gent-Wevelgem. Still up in the air is whether or not he will ride the Giro d'Italia or the Tour de France, the Giro is his home tour but the Tour offers more sprinting stages for next year. In the autumn Petacchi has noted that he will target HEW-Cyclassics and Paris-Tours.

The German hard-man, Zabel (35), has his stated that his goals are simply 'the Classics' and then the Tour. This leaves one to wonder which classics Zabel will target, given Ale-Jet's goals. Zabel did say that he would like to do well in La Flèche Wallonne. "I have never raced in the Flèche Wallonne, and in 2006 will be my first time. I am excited to race it after seeing it on TV, it looks fun," said Zabel.

Both the Italian and German say that their will be enough races for them to share, but it really appears Ale-Jet will have the leader's role when it comes to the famed races like Sanremo. "It is better we race together then against one another," added Zabel. Simoni and Cunego move over, we now have Petacchi and Zabel!

Read:
Milram Meets in Toscana, 11 December
Milram Madness: Bulls, Velo and Ongarato, 2 December
Milram Meet and Greet, 1 December
2006 Milram Team Colors, 23 November

Danilo Di Luca Records in Studio

The Killer, Danilo Di Luca, has been in the recording studio singing with fellow sports stars. Di Luca joined forces with race car drivers, Jarno Trulli and Alex Zanardi, the volleyball champion, Alberto Cisolla and rugby player, Denis Dallan. The five recorded a song titled Apri il cielo (or "Open the Sky") that was written by Elisabetta Mondini.

Previously, Mondini wrote a song titled E adesso pedala ("Get on the Bike") that was performed by the late Marco Pantani. Once again the song writer gathered a group of athletes to sing her new song. She chose Di Luca based on his great 2005 season, and also because of his love for music. "I like music very much, and spending a day in a recording studio was great. According to the technicians, our performance was good: now we are looking forward to singing Apri il cielo on stage," said The Killer. The five may perform their song live at the famed Italian San Remo music festival.

13 December News ...