Tinkoff rolls into '08 with new delivery

By Gregor Brown

In preparations for the 2008 season, Team Tinkoff Credit Systems has closed out its first training camp. The Italian Professional Continental team, backed by Russian financier Oleg Tinkov, met in Castello di Tornano (Siena), Italy, this week.

The 19-man team, including Mikhail Ignatiev and Pavel Brutt, posed in various locations amongst the rolling vineyard covered hills for team photographs. The meeting was an opportunity to bond and distribute the new team kit, which is highlighted by the addition of a credit card logo representing the Russian brand.

While preparing for its second year as a top-level team, the boys celebrated the birth of Evgeni Petrov's first son, Danil. The new born weighs 3.250kg.

In the next week the team will meet along the Rivera Romagnola in the town of Riccione for its second camp.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Roberto Bettini/www.bettiniphoto.net

• Team's backer Oleg Tinkoff models the new 2008 kit.
• Tinkoff Credit Systems backs the team. General Manager Stefano Feltrin talks in the background.
• Orlando Maini , one of the team's directeur sportifs, talks with Daniele Contrini
• The Italian Professional Continental team rolls along the Chianti hills during its first camp of the 2008 season.