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15 March 2006

16 March News ...

Dekker King of Due Mari

Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) has been crowned the new king of Tirreno-Adriatico thanks to his solid climbing and time trialing over the last week. The 21 year-old Dutch rider has claimed his biggest victory to date and will now focus on his debut in the Milano-Sanremo.

In yesterday's final stage Dekker had some top-flight teammates, Freire, Flecha and Boogerd, keeping him at the front and out of trouble. "I was scared to lose it all in the last day, I was practically trembling, it was enough to have that little incident," said the Tirreno winner in regards to the finale and his flat tire.

"This race is very prestigious and represents a lot in professional cycling," continued Dekker. Between now and Saturday he will rest at his home in Lido di Camaiore, where he regularly trains with Alessandro Petacchi. "I will race Sanremo for the first time. Last year I was not ready, I was not good enough."

Read:
Corsa dei Due Mari a Dekker, 14 March
Dekker Burns Bright and Tirreno Shortened, 13 March

2006 Tirreno-Adriatico, 8 - 14 March
Main, Startlist, Overall Map, Photos

Petacchi Takes Last Race

Alessandro Petacchi has won the last race in his lead-up to Milano-Sanremo. This Saturday's Classicissima is the big one for Petacchi, and yesterday in San Benedetto del Tronto his Milram boys showed they will be capable of delivering the goods.

"It was a very hard finale today," said Alessandro Petacchi after winning yesterday's stage 7. German Erik Zabel arrived and Petacchi says, "Bravo Erik!" Zabel replies, "Grazie."

"Erik is truly a special person," continued Petacchi after hugging Zabel. "I am sorry that we could not win for him during the week... It is still hard to communicate between us, I try to talk to him in English and he will respond to me in Italian, it is crazy. But today he was really great. We took over the head of the peloton at the right moment and it was not easy, in the finale I had to hold off the charge of McEwen."

I think that obviously the Cipressa and Poggio will be very important," said Petacchi regarding the Sanremo this coming Saturday. "It clear from the win today that I am in great condition for Sanremo. It will really be an important day... Last year I made a long sprint and this year I will try to do a shorter sprint. I hope to have legs perfetto."

Is the squadra ready for Sanremo? "I think that the squadra will do the best work possible," said Petacchi on his Treno Milram. "I hope to have two teammates left with me on the Poggio, certainly Erik and then Velo or Sacchi. I think with them there I will be able to win again."

Petacchi says the plan for the next week is to preview the Sanremo finale: "The most important thing is to be able to review the parcours. It is best to have it memorized, especially the descent." He will be attempting to double on the Via Roma, after taking out the 2005 edition in Fassa Bortolo colors.

"I told my teammates to watch out for him and that he could win Tirreno, but they just looked at me funny," said Petacchi when looking back over the last week and Thomas Dekker's overall win. "Even if we did the climb to San Giacomo it would not have changed the outcome because Thomas would have stayed with the leaders. It is a question of building experience, his has many great qualities, you will see them very soon."

Ballan to Captain Sanremo

Alessandro Ballan will captain the Lampre-Fondital squadra this Saturday for the Milano-Sanremo. The Italian will take the reins after the announced non-participation of the squadra's main sprint-gun, Daniele Bennati.

The Lampre-Fondital rider, who finished third overall and 20" down on Dekker in the Tirreno-Adriatico, has proven the form is there. "It was a great Tirreno-Adriatico for me," said Ballan after yesterday's finish. "Too bad about the wet TT on Sunday, but overall it was a good race. I now feel that I have added responsibilities in the squadra, and that they have more trust in me."

"The Sanremo was not an objective of 2006 but with the condition is good and I will try, we will see what happens. I will try on the Cipressa or on the Poggio," finished Ballan. After Sanremo he will be heading north to the season's main objectives: Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

Sanremo Squadra: Alessandro Ballan, Damiano Cunego, Danilo Napolitano, Claudio Corioni, Giuliano Figueras, Paolo Fornaciari, Gorazd Stangelj and Matteo Carrara.

Read:
Hammer of the Ballan, 13 March
Continued Growth by Ballan, 6 March
Ballan Conquers Trofeo di San Valentino, 15 February

Bettini Goes Sanremo

Yesterday after a three hour ride with local amateur riders, Paolo Bettini confirmed that he will compete in Milano-Sanremo. His role will surely be limited after his crash in Tirreno-Adriatico, but he will still be a threat to the other teams and an aid to Quick-Step mate Tom Boonen.

"I feel better day after day," said Bettini, who won Sanremo in 2003. "The pain still remains in my back and right knee, and I feel fatigued when on my bike. But with three days to go I am still optimistic."

The Olympic Champion (31) crashed and abandoned in stage 3 of the Tirreno-Adriatico. His form was on fire, after winning the first two stages in a dominating fashion, and if he finds a hint of that greatness for Saturday then he might just double on the Via Roma.

Read:
Sanremo: Boonen and Bettini Prepare, 14 March
Bettini Plans on Sanremo, 12 March
Bettini Protests and Crashes, 11 March

Basso Previews Saltara and Piacenza TTT

Ivan Basso (Team CSC) will preview more Giro d'Italia stages before the Critérium International (25 - 26 March) next week. Last week, during the Tirreno-Adriatico il Varesino previewed the stage 8 (Passo Lanciano) finish by car with Team Manager Bjarne Riis. Today he will cover the last sections of stage 7 to Saltara and tomorrow he will ride the parcours of stage 5, the team time trial in Piacenza.

Read:
Basso Checks Passo Lanciano after Tirreno Stage 3, 11 March
Basso Scouts Giro TT in Pontedera, 5 January

Landis Leads First 2006 ProTour Rankings

Were you wondering about the ProTour and if there would be a jersey awarded? Well, there has. Floyd Landis (Phonak) took the white ProTour jersey after winning the Paris-Nice. A few days later Thomas Dekker (Rabobank) won the overall of the Tirreno-Adriatico, but fell one point shy of l'Americano when the numbers were tallied.

Landis would wear the white jersey in the next ProTour event in which he participates, but he won't be racing a ProTour until May's Giro d'Italia. This means that the maglia bianca will not be seen in the Milano-Sanremo on Saturday, where a new ProTour leader will likely be decided.

Current ProTour top 10:
1 Floyd Landis (USA) Phonak 52
2 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Rabobank 51
3 Patxi Vila (Spa) Lampre-Fondital 43
4 Jörg Jaksche (Ger) Liberty Seguros-Würth 40
5 Antonio Colom (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears 35
6 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 35
7 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 31
8 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel 30
9 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 25
10 Michael Boogerd (Ned) Rabobank 25

14 March News ...