Setmana Catalana begins

The 42nd edition of Setmana Catalana starts today (Monday) with a 165 km stage around Lloret De Mar, and finishes on Friday, March 25 with a 16 km time trial at the Würth factory in Anoia. The 2.HC ranked stage race will feature triple Vuelta a España winner Roberto Heras (Liberty), dual Giro d'Italia winner Gilberto Simoni (Lampre), last year's winner Joaquín Rodríguez (Saunier Duval), 2003 winner Dario Frigo (Fassa Bortolo), 2002 Giro winner Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel), 2003 World Champion Igor Astarloa (Barloworld) and Iban Mayo (Euskaltel).

Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel), who was initially down to ride, will not participate after getting sick during Paris-Nice. Neither will Liberty's Joseba Beloki and Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano, for the same reason.

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