Savoldelli to ride Giro and Tour

By Gregor Brown

Two-time Giro champion Paolo Savoldelli, 33, is aiming to compete in both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France next year. In the colours of Marc Biver's Astana squad, he will race to win the Giro before helping his team-mates in La Grande Boucle, similar to his 2006 season.

"My 2007 [season] will hinge on the Giro and Tour," Savoldelli said to tuttobiciweb.com. "The Giro is open and up for grabs and it will be better for my chances. At the Tour I will support [Alexandre] Vinokourov and [Andreas] Klöden but I will also have my own space. In 2005 I was at the side of [Lance] Armstrong, launching him to his seventh Tour victory, and I was successful in conquering the stage to Revel."

Savoldelli had been linked with Davide Boifava's new LPR team but, in early December, he confirmed he would in fact ride for the newly-formed Astana team.