First Edition Cycling News for March 17, 2005

Edited by Anthony Tan

La Primavera: Five firm favourites

Preview by Anthony Tan in Milan, Italy

2004 M-SR: Still painful to look at, 12 months on
Photo ©: Olympia

Traditionally the season-opener of the now-defunct World Cup (for the men, at least), the 96th edition of Milan - San Remo still holds its place as the first of the five monuments in world cycling, but is now the third event on this year's ProTour calendar after Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico.

Also known as 'La Primavera' or 'La Classicissima', the race is held close to the hearts of the Italian people - because it marks the first weekend in Spring; because of its almost 100 year history; because over half the winners have been Italians (48 out of 95); and, of course, because the race is in Italy! However, the award for the winningest rider goes to none other than 'the Cannibal' - a.k.a. Eddy Merckx - the Belgian triumphing on the Via Roma no less than seven times (1966, '67, '69, '71-'72, '75-'76). Local rider Costante Girardengo came close with six wins, also done in the space of 10 years (1918-28), but like so many of Merckx's records, this one looks like staying for a while yet, regardless of what happens in 2005.

Milan-San Remo is also the longest of the modern-day Classics at almost 300 kilometres long; this year is no different, the 294 kilometre-long parcours following a very typical route. And unlike the two ProTour races that have preceded M-SR, adverse weather conditions are unlikely to affect La Classicissima, with a bella giornata on the cards: a minimum of 11°C and a max of 17°C, relative humidity of 58 percent, and a gentle breeze from the west.

Click here to read the rest of the preview.

T-Mobile relieved of favourites' tag for La Primavera

The T-Mobile Team is sending its proven Classics specialists into action at Saturday's Milan-San Remo, with Erik Zabel spearheading the eight-man magenta roster. Relieved of the favourites tag, the team are nevertheless travelling to the Lombardy region of Italy in an upbeat mood: "We are not starting this race as the big favourites and it won't be our task to control the race," says team press officer Luuc Eisenga.

The 34 year-old veteran sprinter has left his mark on the race in the past, powering his way to four wins in five years (1997, 1998, 2000, 2001) on San Remo's Via Roma. Last year Zabel missed out on a fifth 'Primavera' title in the most agonising fashion when Oscar Freire dramatically edged it out on the line.

Besides Oscar Freire, who has been in incredible form so far this season, Eisenga nominates Belgian sprinter Tom Boonen to the list of race favourites, alongside Freire and Petacchi. Boonen, for his part, was busy scouting the course on Monday, paying particular attention to the Cipressa and Poggio climbs, where the race is often won or lost.

"If it comes down to a sprint finish, then you can't underestimate Boonen," said Eisenga, who also believes that the T-Mobile Team are in good shape for the 294 kilometre-long race. "All the riders are in good physical condition. In Zabel, Andy Klier, [Alexandre] Vinokourov, who got stronger as the Paris-Nice progressed, and [Stefen] Wesemann, we have a number of options in this race. That will make it more difficult for the other teams to figure out our plan."

Fortunately, Erik Zabel is not suffering from any after-effects from Tuesday's crash at Tirreno-Adriatico. The sprinter hit the tarmac on the final stage, but was able to continue racing. T-Mobile sporting director Mario Kummer gave Zabel the all-clear there and then: "Nothing to worry about, apart from a few scratches - Erik got off lightly," he said.

T-Mobile roster: Rolf Aldag (36), Sergey Ivanov (30), Matthias Kessler (25), Andreas Klier (29), Stephan Schreck (26), Alexander Vinokourov (31), Steffen Wesemann (34), Erik Zabel (34)

Figueras ready for the rhythm of racing

Lampre-Caffita reports that the flu which Giuliano Figueras picked up before Tirreno-Adriatico, causing him to miss the event, has come and gone, and he is now motivated to get back into racing, starting with Milan-San Remo this Saturday.

"I got back into training and I seem to have found the right rhythm needed for racing," said Figueras. "I did some training in Campania where I was fortunate to train in some good weather; Wednesday, I got a good 250 kilometre training ride in, and I think that the form I had at the GP Chiasso is on its way back and I am feeling good, both physically and mentally. I doubt I will have the condition of those who have just raced Tirreno-Adriatico and Paris-Nice, but I am sure I will have a good San Remo."

In 2002, Figueras and Paolo Bettini tried to foil the sprinters' plans on the Poggio, but the two were caught with only 300m to the top of the climb, before Mario Cipollini took the win. However, the 29 year-old appears ready to try the same tactic again, if the opportunity presents itself.

"I really feel that this is the perfect climb for anyone to try and get away in order to get to the finish on their own, or at least without sprinters. Otherwise you take riders like Freire or Petacchi or Boonen to the finish line."

Lampre - Caffita roster: Alessandro Ballan, Daniele Bennati, Giosuè Bonomi, Gianluca Bortolami, Salvatore Commesso, Giuliano Figueras, Paolo Fornaciari, Daniele Righi Sports Director: Giuseppe Martinelli

Fassa Bortolo, Illes Balears, Barloworld, Naturino-Sapore for M-SR

Fassa Bortolo will naturally be led by Alessandro Petacchi. Enough said.

Team roster: Fabio Baldato, Kim Kirchen, Alberto Ongarato, Alessandro Petacchi, Roberto Petito, Fabio Sacchi, Matteo Tosatto, Marco Velo. Direttori Sportivi: Giancarlo Ferretti and Alberto Volpi

Illes Balears-Caisse d'Epargne has as its main weapon Alejandro Valverde, but proved in Paris-Nice that have more than one card to play after Vicente Reynés won the third stage.

Team roster: José Luis Carrasco, José Luis Arrieta, Joan Horrach, Unai Osa, Imanol Erviti, Alejandro Valverde, Vicente Reynés, Mikel Pradera. Director: Eusebio Unzúe

Barloworld is fielding a team with a distinctly Italian flavour for La Primavera, as well as South African David George and British rider Tom Southam.

Team roster: Matteo Carrara, Enrico Degano, David George, Paolo Longoborghini, Antonio Salomone, Eddy Serri, Tom Southam, Guilio Tomi

Naturino-Sapore di Mare shall be led by 14-year veteran of the peloton, Francesco Casagrande.

Team roster: Francesco Casagrande, Valerio Agnoli, Sergio Marinangeli, Filippo Simeoni, Gian Matteo Fagnini, Alessio Galletti, Gabriele Colombo. Direttori Sportivi: Antonio Salutini and Giuseppe Petito

Scarponi dreams of winning Giro

After solid Tirreno-Adriatico that saw Liberty Seguros-Würth's Michele Scarponi finish the week-long tour in 61st place, 8'50 behind Oscar Freire (Rabobank), the Italian's next appointment is at Milan-San Remo this weekend. However, for the 25 year-old, thoughts of winning the Giro d'Italia now occupy his mind.

"It has been a very fast and nervous race, because the sprinters are very strong and Milan-San Remo is the next race," said Scarponi on his overall evaluation of Tirreno-Adriatico. "It is my first race of the year and I must go little by little, because my aim is the Tour of Italy, in May.

"Now, it is normal that I was not 100 percent, but I am calm because I am working well. In February, I had an accident with a car while I was training, then I suffered an intestinal virus and now I have cold, but they are small things that will not affect me for the Giro."

Saturday's race will be the fourth-year professional's first La Primavera, but Scarponi is more than happy to take part, not just because of its status, but because he believes his team-mate Allan Davis can win. Said Scarponi on his predictions for the podium: "I believe in Allan Davis, because he is a very rapid rider that can win, and then Oscar Freire and Cipollini."

Leading up to the Giro, he must now decide if he rides the Setmana Catalana or the Critérium International, but will most likely ride the Tour de Romandie from April 26-May 1 as final preparation. Scarponi also added that in his four Grand Tours he has done (two Giri d'Italia, and one Tour de France and Vuelta a España each), he has not managed to show his true capabilities because he wasn't in good condition - something he feels he can now do at Liberty Seguros.

"This year, I want to demonstrate that I am a rider of big tours and, especially, I want to demonstrate that to myself. My dream is to win the Giro, of course, but at the least, I want to be on the podium or in the top five," he said.

Asked about being one of only two Italians on Spanish team, the other Giampaolo Caruso, Scarponi was upbeat, saying: "I have the tranquility of being able to prepare a big tour. I had many offers, but when Manolo Saiz called me, I did not doubt it. I believe that he is a wise man of cycling and, besides, Spain always has fascinated me as country and for its people."

Schedule announced for Irish duo

By Shane Stokes, IrishCycling.com

Navigators Insurance team manager Ed Beamon has announced the list of events that Irish riders David O'Loughlin and Ciarán Power will compete in, starting with the latter's participation in Nokere-Koerse in Belgium yesterday.

Power has six more days of competition this month, with the GP Rudy Dhaenens on Sunday and then the Settimana Ciclista Internazionale in Italy, which begins on Tuesday. He will be joined there by O'Loughlin, and then the two riders will line out in the Route Adelie de Vitre, the GP de la Ville de Rennes, Gent-Wevelgem and the Ronde Van Drenthe in early April. From there their paths diverge, with Power riding the Scheldepijs Vlaanderen in Belgium on April 13th and the GP de Denain in France one day later, while O'Loughlin will fly to the US and compete in the Tour de Georgia later in the month.

Form permitting, the two Irish riders have therefore several opportunities to shine. The team's participation in the ProTour Gent-Wevelgem is a good boost, while O'Loughlin will have a fine chance to measure his form in the Tour de Georgia. Lance Armstrong, Bobby Julich and several other top professionals will compete in the six day race.

March:
 
16 Nokere-Koerse, Belgium (1.1)                           Power
20 G.P. Rudy Dhaenens, Belgium (1.1)                      Power
22-26 Settimana Ciclistica Internazionale, Italy (2.1)    Power, O'Loughlin
 
April:
 
1 Route Adelie de Vitre, France (1.1)                     Power, O'Loughlin
3 GP de la Ville de Rennes, France (1.1)                  Power, O'Loughlin
6 Gent-Wevelgem, Belgium (ProTour)                        Power, O'Loughlin
9 Ronde Van Drenthe, Netherlands (UCI 1.1)                Power, O'Loughlin
13 Scheldeprijs Vlaanderen, Belgium (1.HC)                Power
14 GP de Denain, France (1.1)                             Power
19-24 Tour de Georgia, USA (2.1)                          O'Loughlin 

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