Zabel & Petacchi together in Valencia

for the first time this season, Alessandro Petacchi and Erik Zabel will start in the same rider roster for their team Milram. At the Vuelta Valenciana (UCI category 2.1) from February 27 to March 3, 2007, the top sprinters will lead a team of eight riders.

Last year, Petacchi won two stages at the Spanish event. This time, organisers have laid out at least two stages suitable for a bunch sprint, in which Zabel will probably be Petacchi's most precious lead-out man.

Team director Antonio Bevilacqua has selected to following riders for the stage race: Alessandro Petacchi, Erik Zabel, Brett Lancaster, Mirko Celestino, Christian Knees, Elia Rigotto, Enrico Poitschke and Marco Velo.