Saunier Duval supports human rights

By Monika Prell

According to the Spanish newspaper Diario Vasco, the Saunier Duval team will continue with its campaign for human rights started last season. In 2006, every cyclist represented one right, and together they rode 225,178 kilometers in support of the campaign. In 2007, the human rights campaign celebrated its100th anniversary, and accordingly, Saunier Duval will participate in a new project.

The team manager Mauro Gianetti will travel with some of the squad's racers, amongst them Raúl Alarcón, Alberto Fernández, Rubens Bertogliati, Guido Trentin, Alberto Fernández, Rubén Lobato, Carlos Zarate, and Christophe Rinero, to Mali, a country affected by drought and forest fires.

The new project includes planting trees, one for every kilometer they ride and five for every victory. They expect to plant about 300,000 trees. The campaign starts in Mopti on Sunday, also the site of a 70 kilometer bike race featuring the best African cyclists and seven Saunier Duval members, each of a different nationality.

Saunier Duval also approached football player Samuel Eto of FC Barcelona about joining the campaign, but his participation remains uncertain due to potential schedule conflicts.