Monday, September 14, 2009

Italian Team Named for 2009 Road World Championship


The Italian team , comprised of nine riders and two reserves, for the road World Championship on September 27th has been named this morning by coach Franco Ballerini. Having coached the team to three consecutives victories over the last three years Ballerini is attempting to accomplish something never done in the road World Championships: four consecutive victories. The team:

Damiano Cunego (Lampre NGC), team captain
Alessandro Ballan (Lampre NGC), last year's winner of the World Championship
Filippo Pozzato (Team Katusha)
Stefano Garzelli (Acqua&Sapone Caffè Mokambo)
Ivan Basso (Liquigas Doimo)
Marzio Bruseghin (Lampre NGC)
Luca Paolini* (Acqua&Sapone Caffè Mokambo)
Giovanni Visconti* (Team ISD)
Michele Scarponi* (Diquigiovanni Androni)
Mauro Santambrogio* (Lampre NGC)
Matteo Tosatto* (Quick Step)
(* the two reserves will be selected later from these riders)

Ballerini commented that the 262.2 Km course is the most difficult that he has seen since he has coached the Italian team. He anticpates that the Spanish team, with Valverde, Sanchez, Rodriguez and Freire, will be the team to beat. At the same time he did not underrate the possibililitees of such riders as Gilbert and Cancellara.

Photos: Mendrisio course


Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com

No comments:

Post a Comment