Tinkoff's first team camp closes

Vasil Kiryienka makes 18

Italian-Russian Tinkoff Credit Systems has concluded its first team camp. The staff and 18 riders, including Tyler Hamilton and Salvatore Commesso, gathered this week on the Rivera Romagnola in the town of Riccione.

Team Manager Omar Piscina and financial backer Oleg Tinkov met with their riders to discuss the 2007 schedules and distribute technical materials; including Diadora, Biemme, Rudy Project and bicycles by Colnago. The Milanese bike firm will supply carbon C-50s, equipped with Campagnolo, to the team for the 2007 season.

Vasil Kiryienka was also at the team gathering. The 25 year-old Byelorussian became the newest member of Tinkoff Credit Systems when he signed a contract in Riccione. Kiryienka is the 2006 national time trial champion and finished sixth at the TT world championships in Salzburg.

"I really like Vladimir Gusev but he stayed with Discovery Channel," said Tinkov when asked by La Gazzetta dello Sport which rider he wanted but did not sign. "He is young and very interesting. And also from Discovery, I would have liked very much to have signed Yaroslav Popovych."

Thursday afternoon the team will travel from Riccione to Vicenza for photos.

Riders: Tyler Hamilton (USA), Elio Aggiano (Ita), Pavel Brutt (Rus), Ilya Chernetsky (Rus), Salvatore Commesso (Ita), Daniele Contrini (Ita), Danilo Hondo (Ger), Sergey Klimov (Rus), Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus), Ruggero Marzoli (Ita), Anton Mindlin (Rus), Evgeni Petrov (Rus), Ivan Rovny (Rus), Alexander Serov (Rus), Ricardo Serrano (Spa), Nikolai Trussov (Rus), Steffen Weigold (Ger) and Vasil Kiryienka (Blr)