Liquigas ready for the Tour

Liquigas team manager Roberto Amadio has confirmed the nine riders who will take part in the Tour de France. The all-purpose squad will feature Stefano Garzelli, Danilo Di Luca, Magnus Backstedt, Luca Paolini, Michael Albasini, Patrick Calcagni, Kjell Carlström, Matej Mugerli and Manuel Quinziato. The team will be directed by Stefano Zanatta and Mario Scirea.

"We'll start with a team that may be at ease both in the flat stages and in the mountain ones," said Amadio. "We are definitely aiming at performing well, but we are perfectly aware that each day here at the Tour is like a World championship. Our goal is one stage win. We also want to be among the key-players in the decisive moments of the race."

Before the Grande Boucle, the riders will take part in the various national championships. Garzelli and Di Luca will be among the stars of the Italian national championship. All the other Italian Liquigas riders will also compete in the championship, including defending champion Enrico Gasparotto, but not Franco Pellizotti or Dario Cioni.

Di Luca is happy with the parcours at Gorizia. "The circuit fits both my qualities and Garzelli's ones," he said. "The win is within reach for our team but the opponents will be very dangerous. Let me tell you just one name: Paolo Bettini."