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4 January 2006

5 January News ...

Sardegna Wants 2007 Giro d'Italia

The regional council of Sardegna has come up with necessary sum of money to be considered as a possible host to the start to the 2007 Giro d'Italia. Sardegna representatives have been in talks with Angelo Zomegnan, head of the Giro d'Italia, over the past few months in regards to starting the 90th Giro on their island.

If Sardegna is successful then they would be the host of nearly a week of racing before the race caravan headed to the main land, west over the Mar Tirreno (Tirreno sea). The Giro would host three to four stages on the island, with the initial prologue held within the city limits of Poetto. The island's southern city is a great place for surfing and vacation, or watching the start to the 2007 Giro d'Italia. Sardegna will have to fight it out with other locations who are also bidding to host the start of the 90th Giro, including Palermo, located on Italy's other big island of Sicilia.

Read: Palermo for the 90th Giro d'Italia, 5 August

Bordonali for Baldato at Tenax

Fabio Baldato at 37 years of age will start his 16th season as a professional for Tenax-Salmilano. The Italian from Brendola (Veneto) was hopping to continue as a lead-out man for Alessandro Petacchi on the new Milram squadra, but there was not proper offer. "It was complicated ... you only have so much time," said Baldato in regards to his search for a new squadra.

Luckily, there was Fabio Bordonali, Team Manager of Tenax, with the smarts to hire the classy Italian. "In the middle of October Fassa Bortolo dissolved and by the first of November I was contacted by Fabio Bordonali, who suggested that I join his Tenax squadra. At the time I told him thanks, but that I wanted remain with a ProTour squadra ... I was thinking of the North, races like Flanders and Roubaix are everything. I did have contact with Lampre, but that came to nothing. Also with Milram, but again nothing. But Bordonali kept waiting for me, and told me there is always a spot for me on his team."

Baldato will be able to bestow his 15 years of pro racing knowledge on the younger riders of Tenax and assist the squadra in receiving the '0K' to race in the larger events. "It is great when someone has such faith in you. I will be a guide to the younger riders, a trainer in the field." BiciRace.com wishes Baldato the best of luck in his 16th season as a professional.

Read:
Tenax-Salmilano Thanks to Molteni, 26 December
Baldato to Tenax for 16th Season, 22 December

The Sixties Rock! Wise Pros

Fabio Baldato (Tenax-Salmilano) will be joined in the professional ranks by five other Italians who were born in the 1960's. The Tenax rider is the oldest of the Italian pros making the start to the 2006 season (he was born on 13 June 1968), but he will not be the only rider from the sixties.

For the 2006 season there is Davide Bramati (28 June 1968), who is the super domestique for Tom Boonen and Paolo Bettini at Quick-Step; Andrea Noè (15 January 1969), who does his mountain work for riders like Stefano Garzelli and Danilo Di Luca at Liquigas; Sergio Barbero (17 January 1969), who will ride for Colombia-Selle Italia this year; Stefano Zanini (23 January 1969), who has racked up 31 victories as a pro and is also in the Liquigas camp; and the wise Giovanni Lombardi (20 June 1969), who has 42 career wins and now can be seen as the protector for Ivan Basso. Best of luck to all the wise men of the peloton for 2006!

Azzurra to Valencia with Pinotti

Edoardo Salvoldi, Director Sportivo for the Italian Track squadra, will head a group of riders to Valencia (Spain) for some warm training before the upcoming Los Angeles World Cup. The weather my not matter so much because the Squadra Azzurra will be training on the indoor Velodrome Luis Puig, a 250 meter concrete track.

The squadra is training for the upcoming third round of the track World Cup in Los Angeles (20 - 22 January). BiciRace.com's Inside Scoop contributor, Marco Pinotti, will be joining the crew traveling to Spain. The Saunier Duval-Prodir rider is fitting in time on the track before his road season starts in full. The entire squadra will depart from Bergamo's airport (Orio al Serio) Saturday, and return one week later (7 - 14 January).

Read:
Marco Pinotti Donates Italian TT Jersey to Ghisallo, 9 December
Pinotti, Relaxed and Focused for 2006, 16 November

Australian Road Championships Take Shape

A record number of cyclists will line up in next week's Australian Road Championships in Mt Torrens, South Australia. The men's road race will feature 151 men (93 elite and 58 U23) aiming for the honor of wearing the green and gold national champion's jersey in 2006.

2005 Australian Cyclist of the Year, Robbie McEwen, has his eyes set on the prize of defending his 2005 jersey but the field is full of rabid Aussies looking for blood. Riders like Allan Davis, Luke Roberts, Cadel Evans, Matthew Hayman and Simon Gerrans, along with last year's silver and bronze medalists Paul Crake and Robert McLachlan, will kill for the honor of the green and gold jersey. The U23 riders will be racing a 'race within a race' in the combined event. 2005 U23 champion, Chris Sutton, will not be defending is title because he is in Europe for his first year with Cofidis.

The Australian Road Championships are being staged in and around the Adelaide Hills town of Mt Torrens. The 40K time trial is next Wednesday (11 January), followed by the 175.5K nine lap road race on Saturday (14 January). Of note is that the rest of the World's national championships are held in late June, but January for the Aussies is nice timing since most are home from their European campaigns.

Riccardo Chiarini to Androni Giocattoli

Riccardo Chiarini will join the professional ranks this year with the Androni Giocattoli squadra. The 21 year-old scored three victories in 2005, including a hand full of second places. His new Italian squadra will be registered as a Professional circuit team, which is one tier below the ProTour teams in the UCI's ranking system.

Riccardo is following in the footsteps of his father, who was also a professional. Vittorio road from 1961 to 1969 as a professional, serving as a gregario for Franco Bitossi on the Filotex squadra for five years. The impressive palmarès for Bitossi include wins in the Milano-Sanremo, Giro di Lombardia, Züri Metzgete, Tour de Suisse, stages of the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France.

Read: UCI Releases List of Professional Circuit Teams, 22 December

3 January News ...