By Gregor Brown
Marco Pinotti believes that the strong Columbia-Highroad teamwork in Sunday's Clasica de Almería led the way for teammate Gregory Henderson's win. The team battled strong crosswinds midway thought the 169-kilometre race in Southern Spain to place seven of its men in the lead 25-man group.
"It was one of the clearest examples of perfect team-work I have ever seen and experienced. We can lose or win (like Henderson did), but whatever the result, you should be proud of the way you ride in the race," said Pinotti to Cyclingnews.
Pinotti finished 17 seconds back in 33rd. The result gave promise to the Italian from Bergamo since he suffered from digestive problems after he made his season's debut in the Majorca Challenge, February 8 to 12.
Pinotti's contribution to the Columbia-Highroad teamwork gave Henderson his first win since April 2008.
"I grew up looking races on television where teams like Panasonic were dominating the big races. I admired the team effort of riders in side-by-side formation, which seemed to make things easier than they really were.
"The strength of the team that works together is a lot more that the simple addition of each rider's strength. In these moments one plus one equals three or more."
Pinotti will join his teammates in Paris-Nice next week, March 8 to 15. He hopes that the teamwork Columbia displays in the French race and the lack of politics before the race (like in 2008) will make for an attractive Race to the Sun.
