Michele Scarponi Leaving Team Lampre-Merida

Happier days

The Michele Scarponi and Team Lampre-Merida relationship will end on December 31, 2013. The agreement was reached after negotiations with attorneys representing both parties. As we have noted, Michele Scarponi has been missing from any of the Team Lampre-Merida races this season or the team publicity events.

After a series of meetings it was agreed that Scarponi will return to competition tomorrow at the Grand Prix of Lugano. His participation in future races this season will be decided by the "ethical and competitive interests" of Team Lampre-Merida and of the suitability of the races to Scarponi.


addendum: GP Lugano cancelled due to snow on course

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No Michele Scarponi for First Race in Italy This Season

Laigueglia in the evening

Michele Scarponi won't be part of the team for the Trofeo Laigueglia which is being held tomorrow and will be the first race in Italy for Team Lampre-Merida this season. Riders for the race will be Cimolai, Cunego, Durasek, Favilli, Niemiec, Pietropolli, Pozzato and Ulissi.

Scarponi has been missing from all racing this year (the team has already raced in Africa, Australia, South America and Spain). We noticed that he had vanished (read here). Just recently came word that he was "suspended" by the team without additional explanation.

There have been rumors that  Lampre-Merida was very interested in recruiting Joaquim Rodriguez to replace Scarponi. Rodriguez, on Katusha Team, was caught out by the non-selection of his team as a ProTour team which meant the team would not recieve automatic invitations to the major races. A situation which Rodriguez would desire to be exiting from. However, just today the Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld Team Katusha's appeal of the UCI's decision not to issue the Russian team a WorldTour licence. “According to the CAS decision, the application of Katusha Management SA to be registered as a UCI ProTeam for the season 2013 of the UCI World Tour is granted.”

It's all not settled as the UCI has said, "The UCI will now evaluate the consequences of this ruling and will communicate further in coming days, as soon as such evaluation has taken place."

The problem facing the UCI is that they have already selected the 18 UCI WorldTour teams (18 is the maximum), the UCI now faces a WorldTour with 19 teams.

It appears to me that Lampre-Merida is back to having to make a decision about what to do about their star Michele Scarponi.

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Michele Scarponi: Banished, Vanished, Or??

I've noticed no sign of Michele Scarponi in the first four races of the season for Team Lampre-Merida. Those races were the Tour Down Under, Tour of San Luis, Tropicale Amissa Bongo and Challenge Mallorca.

A press release on February 1st, introducing the new leisure clothing sponsor of Clique, has Scarponi missing from the team photo (click to enlarge):

Where is Michele Scarponi?

A Lampre-Merida photo shoot published in cyclingnews.com on February 1st (here) did not include Scarponi.

The only mention of Scarponi this year by the team was in a press release on January 24th which was about SIDI being the shoe sponsor.  He is listed on the team website.


Michele Scarponi: Banished, Vanished, Or??


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Scarponi Trains on the Stelvio for Tour de France

Michele Scarponi, the "L'Aquila di Filottrano" (Eagle of Filottrano), has been training on the Passo dello Stelvio for the last 10 days, rekindling an idea he has had for months: to race in the Tour de France this year.

"I'd like to take part in Tour de France," said Scarponi.

Back in December, Scarponi was considering on passing on the Giro in order to race in the Tour. He, and Lampre team manager Giuseppe Saronni, decided that he should enter the Giro. Scarponi finished 4th in GC.

Scarponi assesses his best opportunities at the Tour as being able to contest for two or three mountain stage victories. He noted that there are rest days on both Tuesdays of the last two weeks of the race, and that these are both immediately followed by two "high mountain" stages. These stages would be his targets. See the Tour de France stages here.

Team Lampre ISD will decide on the final composition of the Tour de France team just after the Italian national championships which conclude on June 24th.

Related stories about the Stelvio:
Climbing the Famous Stelvio (from Prato dello Stevio side)
Mapei Day 2009 (Stelvio from Bormio side)
Passo dello Stelvio: one of "The Magnificent Seven"
There are more Stelvio stories in ICJ, use the custom search button in the right column.


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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 2,500 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page .   

Michele Scarponi Presented Trofeo Senza Fine, Pink Jersey for 2011 Giro

In Herning today Michele Scarponi was presented the Trofeo Senza Fine and Maglia Rosa by Michele Aquarone and Mauro Vegni for winning the 2011 Giro d'Italia.

"Sincerely, I don't like to become the winner in these circumstances," said Scarponi. "My dream is to raise my arms up in the air in Milan with the trophy. If I can achieve that, the emotion will be huge and totally different. I don't want to think too much that I own this trophy now. I prefer to focus on the coming Giro. I want to win this one for good."

Related story:  Michele Scarponi Becomes 2011 Giro d'Italia Winner

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Scarponi to Wear Number 1 at Giro Start

Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) will be starting the 2012 Giro d'Italia wearing the number 1, identifying him as the winner of last year's edition. Scarponi will be awarded the winner's pink jersey in a ceremony on May 3rd in Denmark, two days before the start of the Giro.

In February of this year Alberto Contador was  handed a two year suspension by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for the presence of clenbuterol in his urine sample during the 2010 Tour de France. The suspension meant that Contador lost race results for the 2010 Tour de France and also the 2011 Giro d'Italia. As a result  Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) became the winner of the 2011 Giro d'Italia with Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) moving into 2nd place and John Gadret (AG2R La Mondiale) moving into 3rd (Andy Schleck became the 2010 Tour de France winner).

How Contador was even able to start the 2011 Giro d'Italia and the concerns the Giro had about his participation were covered here in these two stories last year:
The Giro and the Contador Problem
The Giro and the Contador Problem, Part II

It's nice that Scarponi will be recognized but it isn't quite the same as standing on top of the podium in Milano is it? And, because the race starts in Denmark this year that recognition will necessarily take place there. However, I would suggest this to Michele Acquarone: present the pink jersey in Herning, and take the Trofeo Senza Fine from Milano for one day to present it to Scarponi in Verona when the race returns to Italy.

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If You Were Michele Scarponi....

.....would you skip next year's Giro d'Italia to race in the Tour de France?

Michele Scarponi, who races for Lampre-ISD, has said that he is seriously considering skipping the Giro d'Italia in order to race in the Tour de France. This year in the Giro he finished 2nd to Alberto Contador at 6’10” behind (Nibali was 3rd). Contador has decided to not race in the Giro in order to focus on the Tour.


Scarponi's teammates are split on their advice:

Diego Ulissi: "I think that to support a captain, that could be Cunego or Scarponi, in view of targets such as the Giro or Tour is an exciting challange and a crucial moment for my growth as cyclist. Michele is evaluating with the proper care where he can best use his qualities that are among the best of the cycling world. I know that I'll be able to pedal next to him in the heat moments of the races. I lived outstanding days in 2011 Giro d'Italia so I'd like to live this experience again, but I understand also the will of Michele to try a new challenge."

Alessandro Spezialetti (who has raced in 14 Giro d'Italia: "The choice of Giro d'Italia or Tour de France needs deep reflection and it's very interesting. I think that Michele, like any other Italian cyclist, has a strong bond with Giro d'Italia: try to win it it's an irresistible temptation. But just because Scarponi has top qualities as athlete, he's very attracted by Tour de France too. In fact, he showed in 2011 that maybe with the exception of Contador he could be better that any other rider for Grand Tours. So, I don't understand why he should dismiss any option. On a technical side, it's true that Giro's course suites Scarponi's characteristics very well and that in Grande Boucle there are more time trial kilometers, but Michele is not so penalized in this kind of specialty."


Daniele Righi: "The Tour de France is a very exciting option that would bring Michele huge recognition. Michele's qualities makes it possible for him to obtain good results in France and maybe to win top stages, he's one of the toughest riders and he's one of the best climbers. However, if he wants to be competitive for the yellow jersey he should improve in time trial. He's already quite good but in long time trial such as the Tour's ones he needs to improve.

A victory in the Corsa Rosa is the dream of every Italian cyclist; the Grande Boucle, meanwhile, thanks to its difficulty and level of competition, can make a rider legendary."

Matteo Bono: "There are many aspects to consider before such important decision. I'm sure that Scarponi, thanks to the recommendations of the technical staff, will decide what is best. The career of Michele in Giro d'Italia is now well known: his improvement in the Corsa Rosa has been huge, in 2011 he obtained his first podium and in 2012 he'll be able to try to hit the big target of winning it. Regarding the Tour de France, I think the outcome is more determined by the hazards as the 2011 edition showed with crashes and changes in the overall standing. So, in my opinion, this could be a good year for Scarponi to try to win the Giro."

Przemyslaw Niemiec: "Giro d'Italia is better for Michele because its course has characteristics suited for him and because it always so motivates an Italian cyclist. On Italian climbs, Scarponi could be very competitive, this year only Contador could be stronger. Thanks to that experience, and an even more competitive team, Michele has the chance to win the Corsa Rosa. In addition, the support by the Italian fans could be very important. Anyway, I understand very well the desire by Scarponi of trying the French challenge, of riding against riders that are considered the top athletes but that have nothing more than him. I'd also like to take part in a Tour de France one day, but only after I have helped Michele win a Giro d'Italia".

The Schleck brothers have decided to not ride the Giro next year saying, "We will not do the Giro. What matters is the Tour. We love the Tour. The goal is to win the Tour de France." Interesting was the response by Eddy Merckx to this which I believe is also applicable to Michele Scarponi as well: "It's better to be first in the Giro then second in the Tour." Felice Gimondo has expressed the same exact opinion.

So, if you were Michele Scarponi what would you decide?

Photo: Bettini

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Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are always welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 2,200 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.

2011 Giro d'Italia: Scarponi Recons Stage 19

In mid-December Michele Scarponi, now with Lampre-ISD, started his 2011 Giro d'Italia preparations with a reconnaissance of the 9th stage from Messina to Etna, concluding with a finish at the top of the volcano.

This week Scarponi, and team mate, Marco Marzano undertook a reconnaissance of Stage 19, riding the last 115km of the 211 km stage from Bergamo-Macugnaga. The two riders
paid close attention to the two climbs that will characterize the course: the Mottarone and the final climb to Macugnaga.

Scarponi's observations after the reconnaissance, "First of all, it's necessary to consider that the stage will be scheduled in the final part of Giro d'Italia when all the riders will be low on energy and the top classification riders will be willing to try their last chances for the pink jersey. I think that it will be a tough stage, it will be important to manage one energies in order to cover in the best way the 3000 meters of difference in altitude. Mottarone is a climb for pure climbers and the Macugnaga one is very long, more or less 28 km, and complicated because it requires many changes of pace."

Photo: Michele Scarponi

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Stage 6: Scarponi's Great Escape

MAYRHOFER IM ZILLERTAL (Austria), 14 May 2009 - Michele Scarponi has won the sixth stage of the Giro d’Italia by a lead. After 248 kilometres, on the Austrian finish line in Mayrhofen im Zillertal, the 29-year old Italian racer for Diquigiovanni-Androni – this year’s winner in a stage and in the final ranking of the Tirreno-Adriatico – crowned a 193-km sprint (initially in a group, then alone) obtaining the 12th victory of his career, and his first in the Giro. At +32 followed Boasson Hagen (NOR, Columbia); third was Allan Davis, then came Pozzato, fourth. Gasparotto (Lampre-NGC) was seventh. At +36 came the pink jersey’s group. A group including Lance Armstrong crossed the finish line at about + 1:20 ("Done with stage 6. Uh...wow. That was the craziest last 30k I've ever seen. Long, fast decent at 80k (50pmh) plus then a tight circuit; at one point today we reached 110kph. That's almost 70 mph. CRAZY!"). Danilo Di Luca held on to the pink jersey, which he wore for the 20th time in his career (5 times in 2005, 13 times in 2007). At +5 seconds came the Swedish racer Lovkvist, and at +36 was the Australian Rogers, both on the Columbia team. Then came Leipheimer at +43 and Menchov at +50. Basso was sixth at + 1:08.

THE DETAILS — Garzelli, who finished 6:41 behind Di Luca yesterday, made 7 attempts to break away in a sprint in the first 40 km, but was unsuccessful. After about fifty kilometres, Bonnafond, Gatto, Klostergaard, Scarponi and Kiryienka managed to successfully break away. For the first 4 hours of the race, they drove on at an average speed of 44 km/hour. Nearing the second Mountain Gran Prix of the day, Hochkrimml, Scarponi and Kiriyenka were in the lead, while Garzelli attempted to catch up with them, but gave up 30 kilometres from the finish. Going downhill, the group launched into pursuit of the two pacesetters. Kiriyenka fell behind, also due to a puncture; Scarponi was left alone with 1:20 on the group at 8 km from the finish. At minus 5 km, he was holding on to a lead of 1:08: this was the prelude to his victory.

TOMORROW — The 100th anniversary of the Giro d’Italia – 92nd race – continues tomorrow with the seventh stage: from Innsbruck to Chiavenna, 244 kilometres. The racers take off at 11:00 a.m., and the finish is set for around 5:00 p.m. Only one Mountain Gran Prix, the category three Passo Maloja (1815 metres in height), then almost 40 km downhill to the finish line. Another stage which, at least on paper, seems perfect for sprints.

Top 10 GC:

1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini 22.11.15

2 Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia - Highroad 0.05 back

3 Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad 0.36

4 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana 0.43

5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank 0.50

6 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas 1.06

7 Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team 1.16

8 Christopher Horner (USA) Astana 1.17

9 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas 1.27

10 David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 1.41

After the Giro we'll get back to "regular programming": everything from A to Z about Italian cycling. Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail.com