Italian sprinter looking forward to 2011 after four years on a general classification team
After four years at Liquigas-Doimo, Francesco Chicchi is returning to Quick Step, the team that he rode with in 2006. The Italian sprinter picked up a number of wins in 2010, the biggest of which came on stage 4 of the Tour of California, but as he told la Gazzetta dello Sport, life for a sprinter is not easy on a team bristling with general classification riders.
"That California win was not bad,” he said, “a city circuit: straight, curve, straight; tucked in behind Cavendish and then I strike. As we say: a straight sprint.
“But the last stage of the Tour of Qatar was more spectacular,” he explained, “in 25th place at 200 meters, I find a hole on the left; launch myself through it and I pass them all. Looking at it from above, it seems a videogame."
He’s very pleased to be rejoining his former team, but leaves the acid-green and blue team with good memories. His problem with the team was not with its personalities, but with the priorities of a team boasting riders like Ivan Basso, Vincenzo Nibali, Franco Pellizotti and Roman Kreuziger.
"I have always had a good time at Liquigas,” he said, “the story ended by mutual agreement, like old friends, insomuch that there were still teammates and sport directors that I call to see how it’s going.
“The truth is that the Liquigas is more concerned about general rankings of the Grand Tours,” he continued, “and I only managed to ride one Grand Tour in four years: the [2008] Tour, as back-up sprinter because [Daniele] Bennati was sick. At 30-years-old, and after eight seasons as a professional, never having experienced the thrill of a Giro d’Italia seems almost indecent."
This year then, he will get his wish and has agreed with Quick Step that he will ride his home Tour; only after a packed spring campaign though.
"Just the other day we spoke of our programmes for the first time. And for the first time I’m going to do the Giro,” he explained. “The road there is a long one: Tour Down Under, Tour of Qatar, Tour of Oman; so far all flat, all good; then two races in Belgium, including the Ronde van Vlaanderen. Finally Tirreno-Adriatico, and there we will really suffer in the climbs.
“At that point, if I’m going well, the Milan-Sanremo; after that, the Giro."
As a sprinter that doesn’t enjoy the mountains, Chicchi has chosen one of the toughest Giros in years to make his debut. The race is generally more mountainous than the Tour, with virtually every region of Italy featuring a mountain range of some sort, but the 2011 race looks to be even harder than usual.
"For the Giro d'Italia I chose the wrong year,” he joked. “It’s going to be a killer. I’ve never done the Zoncolan, never done the Colle delle Finestre; Etna I’ve seen him from [Vincenzo] Nibali’s house. 'I hope that the day of the Giro there’s an eruption,’ I told him, ‘so they cancel the stage because of impracticability of the course'."