The women's team Nobili Rubinetterie Menikini Cogeas from Italy has arrived in Australia to participate in the Geelong Tour from Tuesday, February 22-24, and in the first World Cup race on Sunday, February 27. "We are one of two teams to come to Australia from Europe for this important event," said manager Walter Zini. "We are here to get a good result. Australia is a real heaven for cycling and to win here would start the season well. In Italy it is very cold at the moment, and I hope the girls don't have to go through any heavy changes of climate again!"
Nobili Rubinetterie will line up in Australia with the Russian Olga Slyusareva, Olympic champion 2004 on track in the points race and winner of the bronze medal on road in Athens 2004, as well as Lithuanian Modesta Vzesniauskaite, Italians Sigrid Corneo, Daniela Fusar Poli, Silvia Valsecchi and Joanne Kiesanowski, New Zealand road and track champion.
![BLOCKHAUS, ITALY - MAY 15: (L-R) Ben O'Connor of Australia and Team {"type":"articleBuilderTags","tags":[{"url":"/tag/image/jai-hindley","indexed":false,"dateModified":1777302880000,"dateCreated":1580958069000,"site":"cyclingnews","type":"image","slug":"jai-hindley","name":"Jai Hindley","alternateNames":[],"id":"8sXQPCfohunqAQcf8ndnBk","abbreviation":"","lifecycle":[],"relatedFreeformTags":[]},{"url":"/tag/image/giro-d-italia-2026","indexed":false,"dateModified":1776875875000,"dateCreated":1764501544000,"site":"cyclingnews","type":"image","slug":"giro-d-italia-2026","name":"Giro d'Italia 2026","alternateNames":[],"id":"rrkf3wKvASrYFoLMHwTyNK","abbreviation":"","lifecycle":[],"relatedFreeformTags":[]},{"url":"/tag/image/ben-oconnor","indexed":false,"dateModified":1777538073000,"dateCreated":1567254952000,"site":"cyclingnews","type":"image","slug":"ben-oconnor","name":"ben o'connor","alternateNames":[],"id":"rxxUSXKo6UevYXVYYmaFch","abbreviation":"","lifecycle":[],"relatedFreeformTags":[]}],"site":"cyclingnews","tagsType":"image"}nsgrohe compete during the 109th Giro d'Italia 2026, Stage 7 a 244km stage from Formia to Blockhaus 1658m / #UCIWT / on May 15, 2026 in Blockhaus, Italy. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kPnrx65muXYLXjC7D65meZ-1280-80.jpg.webp)