Putting its weight behind defending champion Vincenzo Nibali and up and coming first-time Grand Tour rider Peter Sagan, the Liquigas-Cannondale team has finalised its lineup for the Vuelta a España.
Nibali has been building his form gradually and is ready to push again to win the race. Sagan won two stages plus the overall in the recent Tour of Poland and is perfectly positioned to chase stage victories during the three week event.
They will be joined by Eros Capecchi, Valerio Agnoli, Damiano Caruso, Francesco Bellotti, Mauro Da Dalto, Alan Marangoni and Dominik Nerz.
“We are aware of our strength,” said directeur sportif Mario Scirea, “and also the expectations that will be created around the team. Nibali has done very positive training with our trainer Slongo at the Passo San Pellegrino and Poland showed that his condition was growing. We are certain that he will be among the main protagonists.”
The 26 year old was third overall in the Giro d’Italia, being beaten by Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank SunGard) and Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD). He has prepared well since then to be ready for the Vuelta, as has his team-mate Sagan.
The latter has taken many professional victories, despite being one of the youngest riders in the pro peloton. He’s clearly hugely talented but Scirea wants people to be patient and let him evolve. “Sagan’s condition is very good, but in his case we can not forget that he is only twenty-one years and is the first time facing a race of three weeks. He should take it day by day, without pressure, but we are aware that his talent can give us enormous satisfaction.”
He is quick to emphasise that the team is not just about those two riders, though, and that the others will also be aggressive and will chase stage wins.
“Unity of purpose will be our first order. The Vuelta will offer the opportunity for a breakthrough and may become an important stepping stone [for some],” he said. “I refer in particular to Capecchi, an athlete who has already shown that he can compete at the highest levels, and our intention is that he will join Nibali in the battle for the overall standings. We expect a great effort from him and all his colleagues to try to repeat the successful experience of last year.”
The Vuelta a España gets underway on Saturday with a team time trial in Benidorm. The squad was second in a similar test last year and will aim to once again perform strongly and put Nibali in a prime position from the off.