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20 September 2005

20 September News ...

2005 Squadra Azzurra Profile

The 2005 World Championships are just around the Corner in Madrid. The squadra that is mostly highly regarded is the Squadra Azzurra, or the Italian Team. Every year the Italians fight tooth and nail just to be on the team, let alone be a captain. Some Italians resort to American or Argentinean citizenship just so they can go to the Worlds.

BiciRace.com had a meeting last week, where we sat around and brain-stormed on each rider's role in the Squadra Azzurra. Below we have presented all 11 members (DS Franco Ballerini has yet to narrow it down to the allowed nine.) and our thoughts on what will be their responsibilities. The team is mostly designed to help Petacchi win in a sprint, but there are a couple riders that will try to get into possible escapes. After many caffè's we concluded that the team is composed of an 80% sprint effort, and 20% offensive attackers.

Madrid World Championships, 22 & 25 September
Main Worlds Page
Time Trial, TT Profile, TT Overall Map, TT Startlist
Road Race, RR Profile, RR Overall Map, RR Startlist

Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo)

What can you say bad about Alessandro Petacchi? He was there at the 2002 Worlds in Zolder to help fellow Italian, Mario Cipollini, win the rainbow jersey, and now it is his turn. This is the first 'sprint course' for the worlds since Zolder, when the Italians last won.

Ale-Jet has been winning all year, more specifically in the spring and fall. In the spring it was stages in the Giro d'Italia, Tirreno-Adriatico and finally the most important, the Milano-Sanremo. This fall it has been five stage wins at the Vuelta a España.

The 31 year-old will be the sprint captain on the squadra. It is a squadra that is almost entirely built around bringing Ale-Jet to the line first. There are a couple of issues that could stand in his way: The final U-turn with 600 meters to go, or the possibility of an escape that sticks. The U-turn is a great place to jump the sprint teams, especially if you are a rider that does not have a team to lead you out. (read: Petacchi Stomps the Terra, 19 September)

Paolo Bettini (Quick-Step)

Bettini is the wild card, and co-captain, for the Squadra Azzurra. He could possibly help with leading out Petacchi, as he did Cipollini in 2002, but more likely he will try for every possible escape. The Tuscan-Terror knows that if he gets into a good move then his compatriots won't chase him down. He is an Olympic champion and well respected in the squadra.

The Tuscan Terror (31) has had sort of an off year. He has nailed two victories this year, one in the Giro d'Italia and one in the Vuelta a España. By winning stage 1 in the Giro he earned him the maglia rosa, not bad. But after the Giro il Grillo did not have a great spring classic campaign, and has only now come back around with his stage 16 win in the Vuelta.

Il Grillo is very, very cagey. You can bet that he will do all he can do get into that winning escape. If the escape is around five riders, then Bettini has what it takes to win the sprint. (read: Bettini On Form For Worlds, 14 September)

Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Caffita)

Daniele Bennati comes from the school of Mario Cipollini, in fact he was in Zolder with his former captain in 2002 to help win the world title. The kid is young, 24 years, but you know that Super Mario taught him a few tricks. Bennati's talents have shown this fall with five combined victories: three in the Deutschland Tour and two in the Tour de Pologne.

The Lampre-Caffita rider is slated to be the last lead-out man for Petacchi. He will help guide Ale-Jet through the last corner at 600 meters to go. Be watching though, because if anything goes wrong with Petacchi, then Bennati will be the sprint-gun for the Squadra Azzurra. (read: Bennati On Track For Azzurra, 14 September)

Alessandro Ballan (Lampre-Caffita) - Reserve

Alessandro Ballan is making his first appearance on the Squadra Azzurra. The 25 year-old is usually the key man in taking his Lampre-Caffita teammate, Bennati, to sprint victories. Expect to see Ballan as the guy right in front of Bennati in the treno azzurro. If there is any sort of coup, it could be from the two Lampre-Caffita riders. They may decide to do a sprint of their own, which would add additional subplot to the whole World Championship race.

Lorenzo Bernucci (Fassa Bortolo)

Bernucci wrote his ticket to a spot on the Squadra Azzurra back in July. That was when he won stage 6 of the Tour de France to Nancy under wet conditions. It was his first ever pro victory since he started in 2002, but he has always been a solid rider. Over the past winter he went through some difficult times with injury, but now he is back on track. Expect to see Bernucci as on of the riders setting tempo in the first half of the race.

Filippo Pozzato (Quick-Step)

Young Pozzato (24) will be making his first appearance on the Squadra Azzurra. He has earned the spot with a fruitful late summer run of victories: HEW-Cyclassics, Giro del Lazio and a stage in the Deutschland Tour. Out of those victories, the HEW-Cyclassics was the big one. Pozzato had finally put his stamp down on pro cycling, after a couple of years of promise.

Pozzato, like Bettini, could be a rider to figure in an escape group. He has the legs to sprint for victory after a long race, as shown in the HEW-Cyclassics. Expect to see DS Ballerini sending Pozzato to cover early escape groups, or perhaps figure in the final 20 to 10K. (read: Filippo Pozzato Takes Lazio, 7 August)

Luca Paolini (Quick-Step)

Paolini will be making his 3rd appearance on the Worlds team. It is a deserved spot, even if he has not bagged the big win this year. He has had a tough 2005 spring due to injury, followed in the fall by a string of 2nd places. One of those 2nd places was the HEW-Cyclassics, after he had done work to secure a win for his teammate Pozzato. Make no mistake, Paolini is top-class. He could be used to cover early escapes, or perhaps the footwork in the final 20 to 10K. (read: Paolini Back Winning Again, 30 July)

Davide Bramati (Quick-Step) - Reserve

37 year-old Bramati breathes experience. It will be only his 2nd time on the Squadra Azzurra, but he will pack plenty of race know-how. Even though Ballerini will be back in the car with the race TV and radio, along with the team 2-way radios, expect Bramati to help read the race first hand. Riders like Bramati are old-school, before all the communications of a race existed, he can see attacks before they even happen.

Giovanni Lombardi (Team CSC)

Lombardi is the rider with the most race know-how in Italy. He helped Mario Cipollini to many victories, including his win in the 2002 Worlds. Over his 14 years as pro, and 42 wins, he has learned a number of tricks. Lombardi will be the tough-guy on the squadra, controlling affairs. Ballerini will look upon the veteran to act as a road-captain, and on of the final men in the treno azzurro. (read: Giovanni Lombardi Does Triple, 19 September)

Matteo Tosatto (Fassa Bortolo)

Tosatto has been around Petacchi for a number of years, helping Ale-Jet achieve his high number of victories. Tosatto's selection gives Ale-Jet a sense of security, because they are coworkers all year. At this point in a long season they are inhaling and exhaling in the same rhythm. Expect the 31 year-old to be one of the final four men in Petacchi's lead-out.

Marco Velo (Fassa Bortolo)

Velo, like Tosatto, gives Petacchi a sense of confidence. Velo has been working hand-in-hand with Ale-Jet for the past few years. In the sprint Velo is usually the final Fassa man to deliver his captain to victory. In the final 5K Velo has a turn of speed that spoils any sort of attacks. He will be called upon to sprint to the final bend, where Bennati is likely to take over.

Read:
Kits and Waiting for Squadra Azzurra, 20 September
Ballerini Names Squadra Azzurra, 17 September
Ballerini Announces Squadra Tomorrow, 15 September
Franco Ballerini Selects Squadra, 13 September
World Championships in 17 Days, 8 September
Crono Men for Squadra Azzurra, 12 August

20 September News ...