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7 August 2006

8 August News ...

Cunego Building for Victory and Worlds

Saturday's Giro del Lazio marked Damiano Cunego's 65th day of racing, where he finished second behind Lampre-Fondital teammate Giuliano Figueras. It has been almost six months since Il Veronese's debut in the Clasica de Almeria on 26 February, then finishing eighth. In between the Clasica de Almeria and Lazio there has been a 3rd in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 4th in the Giro d'Italia and 12th in the Tour de France.

The spring saw Cunego preparing for a second Giro win and now, mid-summer, he is fighting for a victory to profit from his superb post-Tour form and then perhaps a chance at the World Title.

Team DS, Beppe Martinelli, explains: "We are pointing for a strong San Sebastián [12 August], and then Tre Valli Varesine [15], Giro del Veneto [26] and Trofeo Melinda [31]. In view of Lazio, where he had the legs to win, Cunego has not lost the good form that he developed in the last week of the Tour. Now we have to concentrate and obtain some successes."

Can Cunego maintain his form for another 49 days? The World Championships are in Salzburg on 24 September and Il Veronese is thinking of the Maglia Azzurra. "How are you able to say that you would not like to go with the national squadra," questioned Cunego. "I remember the enthusiasm and experience I gained in Verona [2004 World Championships]. But now I want to live for the day, searching for a win to profit from my good form. If I am able to race in the Maglia Azzurra then that would be a great."

Franco Ballerini, Italian national DS and the one in charge of forming the Squadra Azzurra for the World Championships, thinks that it will be important for Cunego to maintain the legs but also the mental strength. Many riders become fatigued after a long season of racing and lose the killer desire to win.

"I saw Cunego in excellent form at the Giro del Lazio," commented Ballerini. "It is normal, he exited the Tour going very well. ... Now he will have to carefully manage the level he has already obtained. ... He is one of the riders that are compatible with my project because for the Worlds I want leaders that are always ready. It is not like the Classics, where you stay behind for the first hours and only show yourself in the final 40 kilometers. No, I need riders ready to enter in every escape and live every movement of the race."

Good luck to Cunego. Bettini and Di Luca are specifically focusing for the World Championship title but it is not out of the realm of possibilities for Il Veronese to snatch the rainbow jersey. There are 49 more days... Stay tuned.

Petacchi Returns in GP Castelfidardo

Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) has changed his planned re-entry into cycling and will return three days earlier in the GP Città di Castelfidardo, 199K, the second day of the Due Giorni Marchigiana (8 - 9 August).

The Milram sprinter crashed in stage three of the Giro d'Italia, which resulted in a fractured left kneecap, forcing lo Spezzino to abandon one of his major objectives and face time off the bike. Petacchi has been working with Doctor Mario Spinelli in Pisa, and the two have hopefully returned Ale back to his "Jet" self.

If the Castelfidardo test goes well the 32 year-old Spezzino will continue with two German one-day races, Saturday and Sunday, Rund um die Hainleite and Giro Bochum. Lo Spezzino will follow the German weekend with the Regio Tour (16-20 August). The objective is for Petacchi to recuperate the muscle tone of his right knee and to contest the Vuelta a España, starting 29 August, at top speed.

Leipheimer Shows Repetitive Deutschland Form

You can take the Mount Kühtai out of the D-Tour but you can't stop Leipheimer from taking victory. The 32 year-old of Gerolsteiner conquered the Cat. 1 Mösern, earning victory in Deutschland Tour stage 5 in front of Kashechkin and Bruseghin. Leipheimer could not distance Jens Voigt; the likeable German and winner of stage 2 handled his own to take race leader's yellow jersey.

Organizers made the decision early Sunday morning to cut the mammoth Kühtai pass due to heavy snow on the upper slopes and the possibility of a dangerous descent. This meant around 30K less for the peloton to race and quicker legs coming into the summit finish of Mösern.

"The change and new route didn't affect the racing," said Leipheimer after his powerful win. "The stage was equally tough and there were lots of attacks."

After attacking in the final meters of the climb, Il Americano, overall winner in 2005 summited Mösern first and signaled his intentions to take control of this race. "... Taking a stage win this is always important. I didn't plan the win, I just saw that the right moment had come."

Leipheimer is now fourth overall and 18 seconds behind new race leader, Voigt. After winning the Dauphiné Libéré and a lack-luster Tour de France, Il Americano is hoping for a twofer in Germany, repeating last year's overall success.

"Winning the Deutschland Tour again would be a wonderful result," said Leipheimer, who will ride with Discovery Channel in 2007. "I want to repeat my overall victory of last year... I love this race!"

Voigt Keeps Close to Leipheimer for Yellow

You have to love Jens Voigt. The 34 year-old German is always there, and in yesterday's Deucthland Tour stage 5 he held his own to don yellow after placing fourth behind stage winner Leipheimer.

"That was good," were the modest words from Team DS Kim Andersen after the stage. "We have two guys [Voigt and Cuesta] up top ahead of the queen stage on Monday, but it's a very tough stage up to St. Anton, so a lot can happen yet."

Anderson was impressed with Voigt's ability to stay in sight of Leipheimer. "Jens had a hard time keeping up, when Leipheimer attacked, but he sat with Gusev for a while, who ended up burning out all of a sudden, and then Jens bridged up to a couple of others, who were pursuing Leipheimer."

Jens Voigt, now in the race lead, will likely be dropped today while the final GC becomes clearer. The 196K stage will take the riders over two alpine passes, the second one being the summit finish on the Arlberg Pass. The mountain goats will want to score as much time as possible because tomorrow's crono will be the decider.

2006 Deutschland Tour, 4 - 11 June
Main, Overall Map, Photos, Startlist

93rd Tour de France - presented by , 1 - 23 July

5 August News ...