One year after he took a stage victory in the Presidential Tour of Turkey, proving faster than Matt Goss (GreenEdge) and Mark Renshaw (Rabobank) into Kusadasi, Sacha Modolo will return to the race motivated to repeat that feat.
He and Sonny Colbrelli will lead the Bardiani Valvole CSF Inox team in the race. Modolo is chasing top form prior to the Giro and see the Turkish race as a chance to clock up at least one win beforehand.
“In the last weeks I have trained with a lot of intensity for the Giro d’Italia where I want to start with my best condition,” he said. “At Tour of Turkey there are several stages suitable for my skills and it’s not a secret that I would win at least one stage because I think as team we deserve it. It could also give more confidence for the Giro d’Italia.”
Modolo started his year very well by beating Mark Cavendish to win a stage of the Tour de San Luis. The 25 year old’s momentum was jarred when he crashed in the Tour of Qatar and suffered a fractured scaphoid but, after several weeks out, he returned and clocked up second place finishes on stages of the Driedaagse de Panne and the Circuit de la Sarthe.
In contrast, Colbrelli is a second year pro who is yet to clock up his first victory. He’s shown decent form this year in netting second in the Volta Limburg Classic, though, and states that he is in better condition now. He also believes the heat of Turkey should suit him well.
“With Modolo we’ll work together in the sprints and we’ll see stage by stage what will happen. I’m looking for my first pro win and maybe the right time will be in Turkey.”
Also confirmed for the team are the leadout rider Marco Coledan, Christian Delle Stelle, Andrea Di Corrado, Filippo Fortin, Angelo Pagani and Andrea Pasqualon.
Di Corrado took a stage last year and if he gets a chance to repeat, will seize the opportunity.
“In 2012 we made a great team performance with two stage wins and I expect something similar this year,” said the directeur sportif Mirko Rossato. “The Tour of Turkey is key-race for some of our riders to check their shape for the upcoming Giro d’Italia.”
He added that Pagani will be their rider for the general classification, and that he should show well in the mountain finishes on stages three and six.
The 2.HC race begins in Alanya on Sunday.