RCS Sport, orgainzer of the Giro d'Italia, has announced the fourteen teams that are under consideration for the four "wild card" teams spots available for the 2012 Giro d'Italia. Four of the teams are Italian (two registered outside Italy):
Androni Giocattoli (ITA)
Acqua & Sapone (ITA)
Champion System Cycling Team (CHN)
Colnago-CSF Inox (IRL)
Colombia-Coldeportes (COL)
Farnese Vini (GBR)
Landbouwkrediet (BEL)
Project 1T4I (NED)
RusVelo (RUS)
Saur Soyasun (FRA)
Team Europcar (FRA)
Team Netapp (GER)
Team Type 1-Sanofi (USA)
Utelsilnord Named (IRL)
With the Giro's goal of becoming more global it is likely that one, or more, Italian team is going to be disappointed.
The RCS has put in place a self-appointed commission to make the wild card decision by January 10th. The members, all RCS employees, are: Giacomo Catano, Michele Acquarone, Mauro Vegni, Marco Gobbi Pansana and Pier Bergonzi.
If you are curious why some Italian teams are registered outside if Italy read this by The Inner Ring.
The number of wild cards to be decided at a later date for the other RCS owned races are:
Tirreno-Adriatico: 2 wild cards
Milano – Sanremo: 7 wild cards
Il Lombardia: 7 wild cards (note: previously named Giro di Lombardia; will be in September this year).
The 2012 Giro d'Italia promo video:
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Tough choice - the nationalist sentiment should see the four Italian teams get in - but that would leave out some other worth teams. UCI needs to cut the number of top-tier teams down so the race organizers can have more discretion with the wild-cards.
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