Wegelius misses Liquigas party

By Jean-François Quénet in Milan

A few minutes after the completion of the Giro d'Italia, World Championship bronze medallist Luca Paolini tried to rejoin the bus of his teammates to share the celebrations for Danilo Di Luca but had some troubles explaining to the local policemen that his pass was valid for him to enter behind the barricades. With some typical Italian hand gestures, he managed to go where he wanted, not because he got an authorization to do so, though.

Paolini wasn't a member of the Liquigas team for the Giro, he's scheduled for the Tour de France instead. One Liquigas rider of the Giro was missing; Charly Wegelius who had to pull out in stage 18 because of fever and diarrhoea. "I've decided to stay at home and follow the invitation to join my teammates at a party in Brescia organized by the president of Liquigas instead of going to the celebrations in Milan," said the Englishman, still bitter that he couldn't stay with the rest of the team and enjoy the collective win till the end.

"I've been unable to eat for two days and it wasn't fun at all but I'm fine now." He had worked so hard before that he deserved to be a part of the final party and he missed seeing the crowds on the Corso Venezia in Milan.