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2 March 2006

3 March News ...

A Wind Proven Simoni

Gilberto Simoni and the Saunier Duval-Prodir crew have spent the last two days in the wind. The 2X Giro d'Italia winner, along with José Angel Gomez Marchante, Koldo Gil and David Millar, passed the days after the Tour of California in the Allied Aerospace Wind Tunnel in San Diego. This is the same tunnel where signor 7X Tour de France honed his lethal crono position.

After 13 years as a professional there is always something to learn and Simoni, 34 years-old, is not afraid to go to school. "I am very happy that we selected this gallery," said il Trentino. The low-speed wind tunnel is one of a kind due to its specific setup for bicycles, such as lower wind speeds. "Before, in 2002, I did some testing in the wind tunnel in Torino... If you want to do better in the crono you can't leave anything to chance. I want to arrive at the Giro secure that I have done everything possible."

Position as well as equipment has been taken into consideration: Scott refining their Plasma carbon frame, Santini their skin suits and Met their helmets. The technicians spent a great amount of time with Simoni's head position, in particular where the end of this Met crono helmet touches his back. The idea is to get Gibo comfortable with an aero position that he then can repeat on actual roads. "It was one of the best experiences I have had. Now I will continue working with the crono bike on the roads near my home," finished Simoni.

Read:
Simoni, Scott and Saunier Duval-Prodir, 1 February
Saunier Duval-Prodir to Cali and Wind Tunnel, 5 January

Basso Back on Track

Ivan Basso (28) has developed his time trialing skills considerably since joining with Bjarne Riis and Team CSC. The two will head to the velodrome in Düsseldorf (Germany) in April to further refine the Varesino's position. They used this track last year to build the methods obtained after spending time at the MIT wind tunnel in 2004.

Basso is now using a stronger pedaling speed combined with a 54x11 gearing, and in the team time trail he may bolt-on a 55 tooth ring up front. It has been a slow progression from the days in the 2003 Cap' Découverte time trial when he lost six minutes to Jan Ullrich, but now Basso is considered one of the best crono men in the business. "You have to use the [TT] bike regularly," says the Varesino. "I use the TT bike at least two times per week, also at the end of a long training ride I will switch to the TT bike. From 2003 I am 50% better."

Read:
Basso Wanted for Worlds TT in Salzburg, 18 January
Basso Scouts Giro TT in Pontedera, 5 January

Vuelta a España Announces the 22 Teams for 2006

Unipublic, organizers of the Vuelta a España, have announced the teams that will take part in their three week Spanish race. The list of teams is composed of all 20 ProTour teams plus the usual Vuelta suspects: Comunidad Valenciana and Relax-GAM. Murmurs are already coming out of Belgium about the oversight of such power-houses as Landbouwkrediet-Colnago and Unibet.com, but this is a Spanish race and the two selected teams are picante flavored.

The 61st Vuelta will start 26 August in Málaga and end, after 21 stages, 17 September in Madrid.

22 Teams for la Vuelta a España:
Ag2R Prévoyance (FRA)
Bouygues Telecom (FRA)
Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears (ESP)
Cofidis (FRA)
Comunidad Valenciana (ESP)
Crédit Agricole (FRA)
Davitamon-Lotto (BEL)
Discovery Channel (USA)
Euskaltel-Euskadi (ESP)
Française Des Jeux (FRA)
Gerolsteiner (GER)
Lampre-Fondital (ITA)
Liberty Seguros-Würth (ESP)
Liquigas (ITA)
Milram (ITA)
Phonak (SUI)
Quick-Step (BEL)
Rabobank (NED)
Relax-GAM (ESP)
Saunier Duval-Prodir (ESP)
T-Mobile (GER)
Team CSC (DEN)

Read:
2006 Vuelta a España Uncovered, 14 December

Barloworld Torino Bound

The British/Italian/South African squadra, Barloworld, are putting on the final training touches before competing in this Saturday's Milano-Torino. The squadra will follow the Lombardia/Piemonte course with the Giro della Provincia di Lucca on 6 March.

There will be eight riders, guided by Alberto Volpi, to contest both races: Pedro Arreitunandia, Igor Astarloa, Giampaolo Cheula, Mads Christensen, Enrico Degano, Alexander Efimkin, Mauro Facci and Hugo Sabido. Following the two one-day races the red squadra will make their way down to Tivoli for the start of the Tirreno-Adriatico on 8 March.

Read:
Barloworld Train in Montecatini, 25 January
Corti Building with Barloworld, 20 December
Volpi Helps Corti with Barloworld, 6 December
Corti and Christensen to Barloworld-Valsir, 3 December
Claudio Corti to Head Barloworld-Valsir, 22 November

1 March News ...