BiciRace.com :: News :: March 2006

News :: March 2006

3 March 2006

Valverde Blasts Off and Cunego Measures

Valverde winner of Murcia stage 2 , photo: Vuelta a Murcia

Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears) threw down the hammer in yesterday's stage two of the Vuelta a Murcia, winning on home terra in Alhama de Murcia. "You have to make the most of these occasions, but this does not mean that I have the condition to be at the top on every day," said the Spaniard.

"On this type of arrival Valverde is almost unstoppable," said Giuliano Figueras (Lampre-Fondital) who finished third. Valverde's winning explosion marks him as a favorite for the Milano-Sanremo, a long and demanding parcours suited for the 25 year-old.

Cunego Builds Form, photo: Lampre-Fondital

The teammate and captain of Figueras, Damiano Cunego, was with the front group the entire stage but then slid back on the finale, finishing 11th at 56". "I am still missing a little bit of brilliance," said il Veronese. "But I have said that the true test will be the stage [4] on Collado Bermejo, here will understand many things. Measuring myself against Valverde and the others is always stimulating, but I am here to better myself for the Giro."

Today is an important stage in the Vuelta a Murcia, the third stage offers a 21.3K time trail in the city of Jumilla.

Read:
After Almeria Cunego on Meds, 1 March
Spanish TT Time for Cunego, 28 February
A Good Start for Cunego, 27 February

Agritubel and Comunidad Go Wild at 2006 Tour

Tour de France race organizers, ASO, have announced the two teams that will join the 20 ProTour teams in their 2006 race. ASO have selected one French squadra and one Spanish squadra: Agritubel and Comunidad Valenciana. Agritubel will head their team with new signing Juan Miguel Mercado and Comunidad Valenciana will likely lead with Rubén Plaza.

No more teams are due to be added to the list of 22, therefore we will have 198 riders for the Grand Départ from Strasbourg on 1 July.

Read:
93rd Tour de France Numbers, 28 October
2006 Tour de France Route Revealed, 27 October

Di Luca Wants Only Giro and Worlds

Tomorrow is the start of the 91st Milano-Torino and the first season that Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas) will put all his chips on conquering the Maglia Rosa of the Giro d'Italia. He won the Baby Giro in 1998, which is not really an indicator of Giro greatness, and then started his career mostly as a one-day and short stage racer, but last year he exploded in the Giro with a fourth in the final GC.

2006 is the year for The Killer to throw the knock-out punches for pink and rainbow colors. "I am interested only in the Giro and the Worlds, all of the rest of the races are secondary and will function to serve these two objectives," said a determined Di Luca (30).

Roberto Amadio, Liquigas Team Manager, is happy with Di Luca's growth for the team and for the sponsor. "Liquigas has an all-Italian market so the Giro is very important for us," explained Amadio. "We are more fascinated by the Maglia Rosa versus the Tour de France, where there are two long and flat time trials. ... The spring schedule for Di Luca will mostly be the same but the difference will be less intensity before the start of the Giro."

"It is a courageous selection that I was not able to make, also I had greater affection for the Classics," said the retired classics star Michele Bartoli. "Danilo is ready for a podium but on the cards it is Basso who will be stronger. ... But I would have never abandoned the classics because a podium on the Giro does not have the same significance as a grand classic like Liège-Bastogne-Liège."

Read:
Mexico Man: Di Luca, 22 February
Liquigas Presents The Killer, 7 February
Di Luca for Mexico and Giro, 18 January

Garzelli Points for the Adriatico

Stefano Garzelli (Liquigas) will make his season debut tomorrow in the Milano-Torino, but he has his sights on the Corsa dei Due Mari. According to the 2000 Giro d'Italia Champion, this year's Tirreno-Adriatico will be very demanding: "That's a tough route, but my training went well during the long camp in Mexico. The race will start to be fought from stage one to Tivoli, but only the time trial in Servigliano and the finish on the climb to Monti della Laga will decide the race. These stages I'll do my best."

For Tirreno Garzelli will have the backing of his super-teammate, Danilo Di Luca, winner of three stages in past editions. "I like the Tirreno-Adriatico route very much," said Di Luca. "... I could claim a stage win, but my first goal is to help Stefano Garzelli: he is flying right now and will surely aim at the overall victory."

Team for the 41st Tirreno-Adriatico:
Danilo Di Luca, Stefano Garzelli, Luca Paolini, Franco Pellizotti, Magnus Backstedt, Stefano Zanini, Marco Milesi, and Alessandro Spezialetti

Read:
Garzelli Welcomes the Tour, 31 January
Stefano Garzelli to Tour, 28 November
A Look at 2005 and 2006 for Stefano Garzelli, 24 October

Codol Signs for Tenax-Salmilano

Codol in Fassa Colors, photo: BiciRace.com

Massimo Codol has found a team for 2006. Yesterday the 33 year-old rider from Lecco (Lombardia) signed a contract with Fabio Bordonali's Tenax-Salmilano squadra. It is a step down in team rankings (ProTour to Professional team) after racing the last two years with the super-squadra, Fassa Bortolo, but the pickings were slim this late in season.

The Lecchese started his career with Mapei in 1998 and then had his best year to date in 2000. That season with Lampre he won the Japan Cup and a stage in the Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco. In the last two years he has been in the service of Alessandro Petacchi but now will use his skills to help the younger riders on the Tenax-Salmilano squadra. Codol will be welcomed by the familiar faces of his former Fassa mates: Roberto Petito and Fabio Baldato.

Codol's Past Teams:
Mapei (1998), Lampre (1999-2002), Mercatone Uno (2003), Fassa Bortolo (2004-2005)

Read:
Tenax-Salmilano Down for Flanders, 28 February
Italians without Contracts, 6 January
Bordonali for Baldato at Tenax, 4 January
Tenax-Salmilano Thanks to Molteni, 26 December

2 March News ...