Italian team chasing stages on all fronts with an eye on the overall classification
Lampre-ISD is heading into the Vuelta a España with success for both Michele Scaponi and Alessandro Petacchi in mind. The Italian team has achieved good results in both the previous Grand Tours – the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France – this season, and hopes for more in the third.
Scarponi finished second in the Giro behind Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard) and sat out the Tour. In July he rode just the two GP Nobili Rubinetterie races, then returned at the beginning of this month for the Tour of Poland.
"In the last few weeks I’ve trained well and arrive at the Vuelta in top form,” said Scarponi. “The objective is to try to do well every day, with the ambition of taking a stage victory. Then, if things are going right, I will consider whether we will be able to aim at something bigger.
“The team is complete,” he explained, “with climbers like [Przemyslaw] Niemiec, [Marco] Marzano and [Manuele] Mori and experienced riders such as [Daniele] Righi, [Aitor] Pérez Arrieta and [Alessandro] Spezialetti; not forgetting [Francesco] Gavazzi, who’s in great shape.
“In addition, there will be Petacchi,” he added. Besides trying to win the sprints, Alessandro will be very important for the team because of his personality. Don't forget that he was vital for the team during the Giro d’Italia."
Petacchi himself had more success in the Giro than at the Tour. In his home Tour he managed to win stage two, as well as take a number of podium places, before quitting the race as it hit the high mountains. In France though, he was unable to come close to repeating his two stages an the points jersey of 2010, taking just one second and one third place.
He has taken twenty stages in the Vuelta in his career though, including one last year, and hopes for more this time.
"I’ve always had a good relationship with Vuelta, where I’ve won many times; I hope this tradition will continue,” said Petacchi. “I'll be supported in the sprints by experienced riders, I'd also like to make a contribution, supporting Scarponi when there is a need."
Lampre-ISD team for the Vuelta a España
Francesco Gavazzi, Marco Marzano, Manuele Mori, Przemyslaw Niemiec, Alessandro Petacchi, Aitor Perez Arrieta, Daniele Righi, Michele Scarponi and Alessandro Spezialetti.