BiciRace.com :: Matteo Algeri

17 August, San Sebastián, San Francisco and the ProTour

Chat with the Director Sportivo, Matteo Algeri

17 August 2005

San Sebastián, San Francisco and the ProTour

Clásica San Sebastián and Chris Horner

Matteo Algeri with Tafi in Qatar, photo: Graham Watson

BiciRace.com: Ciao Matteo.
Matteo: Ciao BiciRace.
BiciRace.com: That was a great 1-2 win by your team in San Sebastián!
Matteo: Yes ... Amazing
BiciRace.com: Very nice way to repeat last year's success.
Matteo: Yes ... it's the most important race for a Spanish rider
BiciRace.com: This is true, a great race. Very good for the sponsors.
Matteo: yep
BiciRace.com: So who will be the next American rider on Saunier-Duval?
Matteo: I don't know, do you have any suggestion?
BiciRace.com: I will have to get back to you on that.
BiciRace.com: It appears that Scott [bike frame sponsor] really wants to have an American. Is this the case?
Matteo: Yes, but we need another "Chris strong" rider.
Matteo: Chris has been fantastic ... he is a really nice guy and very strong on a bike.
BiciRace.com: Did Chris have a better opportunity with Davitamon-Lotto?
Matteo: I think it's a money matter, eheh.
BiciRace.com: It is funny how the Italian media always talks about him living in a "camper" and being a "gypsy".
Matteo: yep ... but this is not the truth.
BiciRace.com: I know.
Matteo: But the media never tells the truth!!
BiciRace.com: hahah

Saunier Duval-Prodir for 2006

Algeri's co-worker, Horner (stage 10), photo: Graham Watson, Saunier Duval

BiciRace.com: Who will be joining the team in 2006?
BiciRace.com: Can you give any names?
Matteo: Not at the moment.
Matteo: Actually we have still not signed any agreements.
BiciRace.com: OK. I guess that means that Gilberto Simoni may join your team?
Matteo: I think not.
BiciRace.com: haha
Matteo: I just can tell you we are looking for a French rider.
Matteo: Then we need a sprinter.
BiciRace.com: Hmmm
Matteo: We need to make the team younger!!
BiciRace.com: What about Paride Grillo [Panaria-Navigare]?
Matteo: Yes ... young rider.
BiciRace.com: He and Aussie, Brett Lancaster.

San Francisco Grand Prix and Arkaitz Durán

Gárate for SFGP, photo: Graham Watson, Saunier Duval

BiciRace.com: Are you ready for San Francisco?
Matteo: Yes, we will bring a very strong team.
BiciRace.com: Horner, Pinotti ... and ...
Matteo: [Chris] Horner, Juan Manuel [Gárate], [Manuel] Quinziato, [Rubens] Bertogliati
Matteo: [Juan Carlos] Dominguez, [Fabian] Jeker, [Arkaitz] Durán
Matteo: By the way do you know this young rider "Durán"?
Matteo: He is a Spanish, from Basque Pais.
Matteo: Arkaitz Durán
Matteo: He is only 19
Matteo: He was riding with my team in the Eneco Tour of Benelux.
Matteo: He finished it, and everyday he was feeling better.
Matteo: And he was strong on the climbs.
BiciRace.com: Yes, he sounds great.
Matteo: He has been unlucky in the prologue, he punctured.
Matteo: And he finished 1 minute from the winner.
BiciRace.com: Tough riding for a Spaniard at Eneco.
BiciRace.com: Is he fit for riding in the Northern races?
BiciRace.com: Or is he a lighter climber?
Matteo: He is a climber but strong in the time trial too.
BiciRace.com: Does he have a contract for 2006 with your team?
Matteo: Yes, and for 2007.
BiciRace.com: Very good for the team.
Matteo: Check him out ... you'll see a lot from him.
BiciRace.com: We will keep our eyes on him.
BiciRace.com: What is his next race this year?
Matteo: He will come with me to the San Francisco Grand Prix.

ProTour and Eneco Tour of Benelux

Racing at Eneco, photo: Capture-The -Peloton.com

Matteo: By the way, does BiciRace any comment regarding Eneco Tour?
BiciRace.com: The Eneco Tour [Link] looked bad.
Matteo: I agree.
BiciRace.com: Part due to the bad weather.
Matteo: Not just because of the weather.
Matteo: It was really not organized well.
BiciRace.com: Also, right after the Tour [de France]. Overload. Too much, too soon.
Matteo: The race was terrible...very dangerous
BiciRace.com: It was supposed to be a great event to showcase the ProTour. Like the Eindhoven TTT.
Matteo: It was not.
Matteo: By the way I hope it won't be ProTour next year.
BiciRace.com: Yes, I agree.
BiciRace.com: But changing the races in the ProTour so often does not build up the status of an event.
Matteo: Listen, I've always agreed with ProTour, but I must admit at the moment ProTour has not been a good thing.
Matteo: I think ProTour is not good for cycling world.
Matteo: Cycling is not F1, it's completely different.
BiciRace.com: The jersey is boring, it has been with [Danilo] Di Luca since the Spring.
Matteo: Yes
BiciRace.com: And the leader is not required to race in every event ... Which is understandable.
Matteo: Yes, I agree...
Matteo: I think there are a lot of issues to improve.
BiciRace.com: There are many complications, but the goal is to make cycling better.
Matteo: Yes, but are you sure the cycling will be better this way on?
Matteo: There are too many races.
BiciRace.com: Right, like the Tour of Poland and GP Plouay during the Vuelta a España!
Matteo: yes..
BiciRace.com: It stretches the teams thin.
Matteo: It requires an incredible effort by the teams.
Matteo: ... and think about us, we have the San Francisco Grand Prix just before Poland [Tour de Pologne].
BiciRace.com: For starters they should reduce the number of races.
Matteo: Yes
BiciRace.com: So teams have time to race non-ProTour races. Like San Francisco. [ProTour Calendar]
Matteo: I agree...
BiciRace.com: We must continue this later.
Matteo: Ok, I must leave.
BiciRace.com: I need to get going too.
BiciRace.com: Thanks for chatting.
Matteo: Let's talk later.
BiciRace.com: ciao.
Matteo: Ciao!!

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