Area Zero Pro Team, the New Adventure Begins

Area Zero Pro Team, the new, all-Italian continental squad coached by team managers Andrea Tonti and Ivan De Paolis has officially begun its adventure. Starting Monday, December 2nd, the entire team was hard at work at a retreat that will last until today at the Cà Virginia Country House in Borgo Massano, near Urbino, in the Marche region.

The team's roster for the 2014 season is made up of 11 all-Italian riders: Giovanni Carboni, Fabio Chinello, Paolo Ciavatta, Silvio Giorni, Gianluca Leonardi, Gianluca Mengardo, Andrea Pasqualon, Charly Petelin, Simone Petilli, Marco Tecchio and Stefano Tonin.

Andrea Tonti rode as a pro on important teams from 1999 to 2010 and was part of the national team lineup. In addition to his role as team manager he will also be following the guys during their races from the team car next to Massimo Codol, himself a pro rider from 1998 to 2012, here on his first experience as a Sports Director.

"It's going to be three days of intense work," explains Ivan De Paolis. “The riders will be busy scheduling the season with the sports directors and athletic trainer Paolo Santello. There will also be team building activities to get the group on the same page, with our mental trainer Cristina Carraro (already a mental trainer for Petrarca Rugby Padova) who will then follow the guys throughout the entire season, and communications professor Fabiano Petricone who will illustrate the importance of knowing how to communicate effectively and portray an individual and team image in high level sports."

This is a young, dynamic and motivated group that strives to stand out for its transparency and fairness; none of the people on the team or technical staff has ever been involved or associated with doping cases.

“We've decided to invest in the future by betting on very young riders, with a few more expert members thrown into the mix. The team was set up with strong consideration of ethical and sportsmanship criteria," explains Andrea Tonti. “Our ranks include the youngest Italian rider in the peloton, Giovanni Carboni, born in 1995, while the team veteran will be Paolo Ciavatta, born in 1984. The riders here have chosen to fully support the project and respect the rules set down by Area Zero Pro Team, which outline a serious and professional approach the world of professionalism, from training to racing. More than to win, these guys are here to grow and to learn how to race, to behave and to live as professionals

Bottecchia will be the brand of the bikes ridden by the team. The riders will be using the Emme 2 model, the top of the range from Bottecchia's racing division. The frame is made in carbon and is produced entirely by hand in Italy. The bikes will be equipped with Shimano Dura-Ace components.

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