Bennati starts in South Africa

Daniele Bennati will start his 2008 season in South Africa at the Super Challenge Series, February 2 to 7. The 27 year-old Italian sprinter of Liquigas confirmed his early-season racing programme to tuttobiciweb.com, which also includes Valenciana and Paris-Nice.

"The start will be a crucial period for me," the rider from Arezzo noted. "If I want to be competitive at [Milano-] Sanremo and [Tour of] Flanders it will be important to start with my feet in the right direction."

His debut on home roads will follow shortly after his trip south with the Giro della Provincia di Grosseto, February 15 to 17. He also intends on racing in Spain (Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, February 26 to March 1) and France (Paris-Nice, March 9 to 16) before returning to Italy for the Milano-Sanremo, March 22.

In addition to Sanremo, he also hopes for a good showing in the North. "Flanders is a race that always fascinated me," he continued. "Maybe it is the race that I like above all others."

Bennati, who switched from Lampre-Fondital to Liquigas this off-season, will have to share leadership duties with the team's other star, Filippo Pozzato. However, 'Benna' noted in earlier interviews that he does not see the dual-head approach as a problem.