The Liquigas-Doimo for the Tour de France

Photo: courtesy
Wim Dingemanse

Photo: courtesy
Wim Dingemanse

The ingredients to run the Tour de France 2009 as protagonist are present. The team Liquigas-Doimo will be at the gran depart of Montecarlo ready to leave its mark, with four leader motivated and a team able to battle on the different grounds.

«We start with many spurs – explains team manager Roberto Amadio -. Bennati, Kreuziger, Nibali and Pellizotti are four important riders that allow us to nourish two ambitions. The first regards the ranking: if we conquer a place among the first ten positions it will be an important result for Nibali and Kreuziger. The second concern the stages: we will try to hunt more victories as possible, both on climbs both in sprints, and to come back in Italy with a rich spoil».

Together with Franco Pellizotti, Vincenzo Nibali, Roman Kreuziger and Daniele Bennati, directeur sportif Dario Mariuzzo and Mario Scirea will have at disposal five men able to support in the best way the captains and, why not, to search the surprise: Aliaksandr Kuchynski, Fabio Sabatini, Brian Bach Vandborg, Alessandro Vanotti and Frederik Willems. «This line-up join pluck and experience – explains Scirea –, what we need at the Tour de France. It will be a long and hard race: we will have to be able to exploit all the grounds to conquer a victory, for example in Montpellier, in team time trial. We have the means to do well: if we’ll keep high the concentration till Paris, I’m sure that we can give us good satisfactions».

 

The words of the leaders

Daniele Bennati: «Filed the painful absence of the Giro d’Italia, I come to the Tour de France very motivated. The just ended Tour de Suisse give me encouraging signals, although the growing condition doesn’t allow me to fight for the sprints. During the first week of the Grande Boucle I’ll achieve the top of the form, then I’ll be ready to be competitive till Paris. Of course, the goal is impose myself among the large group of sprinters, leaded by Cavendish. The moral is high, thanks also to the trust conveyed me by the team».

 

Roman Kreuziger: «The Tour de France is the main goal of my season and, after the encouraging performance at the Tour de Suisse, I can say that I’m ready to face it at 100% of my capabilities. I acquired race rhythm and change of speed, while thanks to the work did in the first part of the season I have the fund to face three weeks. The goal is end the Tour in the top ten of the ranking but I’m ready to exploit the opportunity, if I’ll have, to win a stage. Concerning the route, I think that Tour de France can’t never considered easy: I’m calm and sure that I trained myself in the best way. The street will say how many satisfactions I can collect».

 

Vincenzo Nibali: «During these months I worked a lot to be at the Tour departure in the best condition. The victory in the “Giro dell’Appennino”, beside a Critérium du Dauphiné ran near the best riders, was a very encouraging signal. Last year I faced this race to learn how is it, now I’m ready to grow searching to gain satisfactions. I’ll think to the final ranking and I’ll look with interest the stages with a ground good my attitudes, for example the time trials. I well know that the competition will be fierce but I want confront with it. Beside good legs, the motivations will make the difference».


Franco Pellizotti: «I arrive at the Tour after the efforts of the Giro but, beside this, not with little ambitions. During the last month I join a rest period, a specific training in mountain to refine the form and some races to keep high the race rhythm. Now I’ll search to exploit the good condition achieved at the end of the Giro to be protagonist since the beginning, also because there will be some arrivals really interesting for me. I’ll look the final ranking but I don’t want to hide a dream… the Mont Ventoux: a victory like this is not present yet in my palmarès».


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