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7 January 2006

9 January News ...

Italian Guns Schedule First Races

The start of the season is under a month away for the riders in Euro land. The big Italian guns have mapped out their spring schedules, and more specifically, in which races they will debut.

Paolini is one of the few big names that will be taking the long flight 'down under' for the start of the 8th Tour Down Under. Two non-Italian sprinters, Boonen and Zabel, will make their start in Qatar, while Italian sprinters, Benna (Bennati) and Ale-Jet, will start in here on the boot at the GP Costa degli Etruschi. Of note is the 'late' start of The Killer in the Italian stage race, Tirreno-Adriatico.

2000 Giro d'Italia winner, Stefano Garzelli, will make Milano-Torino his launch pad for the 2006 season. The rider from Liquigas is eyeing the historic Italian one-day race to start his season, like his fellow Varesino, Ivan Basso. Unlike Basso, Garzelli will be skipping the Giro this year and aiming for the Tour de France.

Here are the big Italian names and their first races* :
Luca Paolini (Liquigas): Tour Down Under (17 - 22 January)
Erik Zabel (Milram): Qatar (27 & 29 January - 3 February)
Tom Boonen (Quick-Step): Qatar (27 & 29 January - 3 February)
Alessandro Petacchi (Milram): GP Costa degli Etruschi (4 February)
Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital): GP Costa degli Etruschi (4 February)
Gilberto Simoni (Saunier Duval-Prodir): Vuelta a Mallorca (5 - 7 February)
Paolo Bettini (Quick-Step): Vuelta a Mallorca (5 - 7 February)
Mirko Celestino (Milram): Tour Méditerranéen (8 - 12 February)
Pietro Caucchioli (Crédit Agricole): Tour Méditerranéen (8 - 12 February)
Cristian Moreni (Cofidis): Trofeo Laigueglia (14 February)
Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner): Volta ao Algarve (15 - 19 February)
Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery): Tour of California (19 - 26 February)
Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital): Clasica de Almeria (26 February)
Ivan Basso (Team): Milano-Torino (4 March)
Stefano Garzelli (Liquigas): Milano-Torino (4 March)
Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas): Tirreno-Adriatico (8 - 14 March)
*Zabel and Boonen are not Italian, and Rebellin is Italian and not Argentinean.

AIGCP and Lefevere Reject Grand Tour Split

The ProTour teams do not want the Grand Tour organizers to continue their split from the ProTour. "All of the teams reject the proposal of Grand Tour organizers of 9 December 2005," read a letter that was signed by Patrick Lefevere, head of AIGCP (International Association of Professional Cycling teams). The letter was sent to the UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) and the Grand Tour organizers to show opposition to the split by the AIGCP.

AIGCP held a meeting Wednesday (4 January) in Brussels where it was confirmed by the teams that they did not agree with the split of the Grand Tour organizers. The meeting was attended by 15 of the 20 ProTour teams and thus the agreement did not include all the teams, but a majority.

The Grand Tour organizers, RCS (Giro d'Italia), ASO (Tour de France) and Unipublic (Vuelta a España), announced 9 December that their races would not participate in the ProTour for 2006. The organizers will have to decide very quickly if they will indeed go forward with their proposed separation, which also includes many famed classics: Paris-Nice, Tirreno-Adriatico, Milano-Sanremo, Paris-Roubaix, La Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Paris-Tours and Giro di Lombardia. Though the AIGCP is against the separation, it is hard to imagine that the big teams would actually boycott such historic races.

Read:
Grand Tour Organizers: Team Prize and New Circuit, 21 December
Grand Tour Organizers vs ProTour Update, 13 December
Zomegnan: Grand Tours with UCI, not ProTour, 12 December
Lefevere Blasts Grand Tour Organizers, 11 December
Grand Tour Organizers Say "Ciao" to ProTour, 10 December
Grand Tour Organizers Press Release, 10 December

Sánchez Down Under and Planning Spring

Luis León Sánchez, winner of the 2005 Tour Down Under, will return to Australia to help the Liberty Seguros-Würth's home rider, Allan Davis. The Spaniard says his aim is "to help Allan Davis in every way possible ... but without discarding anything, because I am in a very good shape".

"After the death of my brother, Manolo Saiz and I thought that the best thing was to begin as soon as possible. To return to Australia it's exciting, because I have a very nice memories of my first victory in a stage race," said Sánchez. His bother, a former cyclist, died in 2005 from head injuries in an accident involving an off-road vehicle.

"I have trained fewer hours than in 2005 but with more intensity," continued Sánchez. "At this time I am good enough, and with a proper weight, to begin the year. ... The immediate aim will be Paris-Nice [5 - 12 March] and later I will ride Setmana Catalana [de Ciclisme, 20 - 24 March] and 3 Days of De Panne [28 - 30 March] ... [Paris-Nice] is a race that I like and motivates me, but also it is necessary to depend on the climate. Last year was very cold and several stages were slow, but we will see."

Read:
Tour Down Under Route Information
Luis León Sánchez back Down Under, 15 December
Luis León Sánchez Back in the Saddle, 28 April

Euskaltel-Euskadi and Laiseka Prepare

The Basque powerhouse, Euskaltel-Euskadi, will gather for its team camp from 15 to 22 January in Benidorm (Spain). The goals will be to fine tune the orange machine before the season goes into full gear. Over the eight days of camp the Basque boys will enjoy the warmer climates on the Costa Blanca.

Euskaltel-Euskadi has announced that Roberto Laiseka (36) will captain the Giro d'Italia squadra in 2006. The Basque climber will head to the three week stage race with the goal of coming home with a stage win. Recall it was Laiseka who stormed to Tour de France glory in 2001 when he won stage 14 to Luz-Ardiden.

Read:
2006 Giro d'Italia Route Unfolded, 12 November
Euskaltel-Euskadi Update with Mayoz, Albizuri and Pérez, 29 October

Colombia from Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni

Gianni Savio has confirmed a new sponsorship contract with Serramenti Diquigiovanni. For 2006 his Professional team will be known as Selle Italia-Serramenti Diquigiovanni, and not Colombia-Selle Italia. Serramenti Diquigiovanni is an Italian company that products doors and windows made of PVC.

Read:
Furlan to Colombia-Selle Italia, 2 January
Wladimir Belli to Selle Italia-Colombia, Not Portalupi Salumi, 31 October

6 January News ...