Garzelli & Cioni lead Liquigas in Romandie

As with many teams scheduled to ride the Giro d'Italia, Italian ProTour team Liquigas-Bianchi will use the upcoming Tour de Romandie as their final tune-up event before the race begins in Reggio Calabria on Saturday, May 7. Stefano Garzelli and Dario Cioni have been appointed as the team's captains in the Swiss race, who will also be leaders for the Giro, along with Mario Cipollini and Danilo Di Luca.

"The 'Romandia' has always been an important test to value the riders' condition before the Giro," said team manager Roberto Amadio. "It will be the very first test both for Garzelli and Cioni; I believe they are well motivated, especially Stefano, who may try to win a stage as well."

According to a statement from the team, 31 year-old Garzelli and winner of the Giro in 2000, has been training alone, while 30 year-old ex-mountain biker Cioni raced yesterday's Giro dell'Appennino and will reconnoitre the Giro's 31 kilometre Turin time trial today, which comes on the third last day could prove decisive with the inclusion of the Colle di Superga climb.

Team roster: Michael Albasini, Patrick Calcagni, Dario Cioni, Daniele Colli, Stefano Garzelli, Oscar Mason, Vladimir Miholjevic, Marco Milesi
Directtore sportivi: Stefano Zanatta, Dario Mariuzzo