Showing the benefits of being upgraded to a UCI 2.HC ranking, the Italian Giro del Trentino has secured the interest of a huge number of teams, with those already confirmed as taking part including the BMC Racing squad of Cadel Evans, George Hincapie and Taylor Phinney.
Team Type 1 is also signed up to participate, while the organisers are currently in discussion with the RadioShack outfit.
A total of 33 teams have requested to take part in the race, which runs from April 19th to 22nd. Of these, 20 will inally be selected.
Amongst the others which have been confirmed is the Astana team of Alexander Vinkourov, plus the top-ranked Italian squads Lampre and Liquigas.
Vinokorouv won this year’s race, taking the 12.5 kilometre opening time trial by a strong 16 second margin. He then finished second to Riccardo Riccò on stage two, came home in the bunch on stage three and then saved his overall win with a fourth-place finish on the final stage. He ended the race 0.14 seconds ahead of Riccò, who was left rueing what he lost in the time trial.
Vinokourov then won Liège-Bastogne-Liège two days later, completing a rare double.