Team LPR in its splendour(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Team LPR in its splendour(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Team LPR is presented for 2005(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
The team's experienced leaders Pavel Tonkov (L) and Dmitri Konyshev (R)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Pavel Tonkov is the team's top rider(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Pavel Tonkov with the Maserati brothers(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Dmitri Konyshev looking happy to be here(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Pavel Tonkov with the directors of LPR(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Tonkov and Konyshev with the team jersey(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Pavel Tonkov risks a smile(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Dmitri Konyshev with the Guerciotti family(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Konyshev and Tonkov with bike maker Guerciotti(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Elio Aggiano one of the more experienced riders(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Swiss riders Andrea del Biaggio and Alberto Tiberio(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Team Manager Omar Piscina is one of the youngest team managers in cycling(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Guess who the casual clothing sponsor of the team is?(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
LPR director Orlando Maini(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
The directors of Team LPR(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Tonkov eyes the Giro
Swiss-registered, but with a strong Italian/Russian flavour, Team LPR has set its sights on the 2005 Giro d'Italia. Managed by 29 year-old Omar Piscina, Team LPR has signed the 1996 Giro d'Italia winner Pavel Tonkov (Vini Caldirola), who will lead the young squad into 2005. At the team presentation on Friday, Tonkov threw down the gauntlet to the Giro organisers. "I want to go to the Giro d'Italia at all costs," he said. "I saw the parcours on television and I'm sure that I could play a role as a protagonist. I don't feel my age, I only have a desire to relive the magical emotions of Montecampione, when Pantani deservedly beat me."
Team LPR also includes 38 year-old Russian Dmitri Konyshev, Barloworld signing Gabriele Missaglia, and Swiss neo-pro's Alberto Tiberio and Andrea Del Biaggio.
