BiciRace.com :: News :: March 2006

News :: March 2006

17 March 2006

Ivan Basso on Saltara

Basso has been doing his homework to win the 2006 Giro d'Italia. Yesterday he previewed the Giro's team time trail course in Piacenza (stage 5, 11 May), and the day before he rode the stage finish to Saltara (stage 7, 13 May).

"It is the longest stage of the Giro," explained Basso on Wednesday after riding the finale of the 230K stage 7. "It will be a tough stage and will surely leave lasting memories. The Appennino roads are like this, a lot of climbing with some severe gradients. Then the day after there is the first mountain top finish, the Passo Lanciano. Every stage at the Giro will be like a world cup race, very tough."

Combined with yesterday's team crono, Basso has covered many of the Giro's key stages. Back in November he secretly covered Colle San Carlo (stage 13), the Passo di San Pellegrino (stage 19), the Passo Gavia and Passo del Mortirolo (stage 20), and the gravel climb, Plan De Corones (stage 17). "It [Plan De Corones] will be quite an incredible climb, and I just hope for good weather. [Gilberto] Simoni will be the one to watch on this climb," said Basso last fall.

Basso will return to racing 25 March with the Critérium International (25 - 26 March). Then he will race in the Circuit de la Sarthe (4 - 7 April), La Flèche Wallonne (19 April) and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (23 April), before the start of the Giro d'Italia on 6 May in Belgium.

Read:
Basso Previews Saltara and Piacenza TTT, 15 March
Basso Checks Passo Lanciano after Tirreno Stage 3, 11 March
Basso Scouts Giro TT in Pontedera, 5 January

Erik Zabel, Milram: The Sprint Master

Zabel Happy to in Milram Blue, photo: BiciRace.com

Erik Zabel (35) is a sprint master, first on the scene since 1992 and he has been amassing a huge palmarès ever since. Over the winter he made a switch from the pink colors of T-Mobile to the new blue Milram Squadra. His sprint skills that carried him to four Milano-Sanremo victories will be a deadly match when combined with his new teammate, Alessandro Petacchi. The Milram sprint duo will be going full bore in la Classicissima this weekend, but the German was kind enough to spare a few minutes for a BiciRace.com interview.

Zabel and Petacchi share a drink, photo: Milram

BiciRace.com:  Ciao Erik. Thanks for joining BiciRace.com in an interview. Your new Milram squadra is registered as an Italian squadra, but is it more German than Italian?
Erik Zabel:  Italian. No, just the main sponsor is German
BR:  Is the official language of the team is English?
EZ:  Yes, English.
BR:  So are you and Petacchi conversing in English and hand gestures?
EZ:  Yes... In Italian, English, and often hand gestures.
BR:  Are you finding new motivation with Milram after being with T-Mobile (Telekom) for 13 years?
EZ:  I was always motivated in all my years in cycling. Now with team Milram I'm still going.
BR:  Very good. And after the team camps are the Germans (from Team Wiesenhof) mixing well with the Italians?
EZ:  Yes, we have a good relationship with harmony and trust.
BR:  Are you happy to be in blue and not to have to wear pink anymore?
Read more...

16 March News ...