BiciRace.com :: 2006 Trofeo Laigueglia

2006 Trofeo Laigueglia, Preview

Trofeo Laigueglia, Italy

14 February, 183.3K

Trofeo di San Valentino

Tuesday 14 February, Valentine's Day, will be one of Italy's grand events, the 43rd Trofeo Laigueglia. There will be 24 teams partaking in the Italian classic, six of which will be ProTour.

2005 Winner Kim Kirchen, photo: BiciRace.com

The big names on the startlist include Olympic Champion Paolo Bettini and Filippo Pozzato, winner in 2003 and 2004. Kim Kirchen (T-Mobile), 2005 winner, will not line up, but there will be other big names on the start line: Luca Paolini (Liquigas), Mirko Celestino (Milram), Erik Zabel (Milram), Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas), Igor Astarloa (Barloworld) and Murilo Fischer (Naturino-Sapore di Mare).

The 43rd running takes in the traditional route of 183K, with two passes of the Passo del Ginestro (670m) and the Passo del Balestrino (690m). The Balestrino will leave 32K to the line, which will suit the sprinters with climbing legs, like Il Grillo.

Past Winners (from 1980):
2005 Kim Kirchen (Lux)
2004 Filippo Pozzato (Ita)
2003 Filippo Pozzato (Ita)
2002 Danilo Di Luca (Ita)
2001 Mirko Celestino (Ita)
2000 Daniele Nardello (Ita)
1999 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita)
1998 Pascal Chanteur (Fra)
1997 Michele Bartoli (Ita)
1996 Frank Vandenbroucke (Bel)
1995 Johan Museeuw (Bel)
1994 Rolf Sørensen (Den)
1993 Lance Armstrong (USA)
1992 Sammy Moreels (Bel)
1991 Pascal Richard (Swi)
1990 Rolf Sorensen (Den)
1989 Pierino Gavazzi (Ita)
1988 Paolo Cimini (Ita)
1987 Gilbert Glaus (Sui)
1986 Mauro Longo (Ita)
1985 Ron Kiefel (USA)
1984 Giuseppe Petito (Ita)
1983 Claudio Torelli (Ita)
1982 Teo De Rooy (Ned)
1981 Giuseppe Saronni (Ita)
1980 Roger De Vlaeminck (Bel)