Italian, Swiss Worlds teams announced
This morning, after plenty of outspoken indecision, and some harsh words on the recent performance of Italian cyclists, Italian national cycling coach Paolo Bettini has announced the list of Italian riders chosen to compete in the UCI Road World Championships in Geelong and Melbourne, Australia. Vincenzo Nibali has earned a place on the team thanks to his time spent in the leader’s jersey in the Vuelta a Espana, where he now stands in second overall with five stages remaining.
The nine selected riders are scattered, culled from eight different teams, with only Nibali and Liquigas-teammate Daniel Oss coming from the same squad. The road race with be captained by Filippo Pozzato, of Katusha, who travelled to Australia with Nibali and three other cyclists, Giovanni Visconti, Luca Paolini and Nibali’s teammate Daniele Bennati, in July for course reconnaissance. Despite the trip, Bennati failed to make the cut with the others, and Francesco Gavazzi took his spot as a pure sprinter.
Damiano Cunego and 2008 world champion Alessandro Ballan also failed to make the cut, despite strong performances earlier in the season. Along with Oss, Marzio Bruseghin, Matteo Tosatto and Marco Pinotti will be supporting the captains as a strong domestic squad.
"I think I've done enough to deserve a place and I think Bettini knows that,” said Pinotti to Cyclingnews. “We've spoken quite a bit in recent weeks and he knows can trust me to do any job he decides to give."
Swiss Cycling has also announced their team for the World Championships. World time-trial champion Fabian Cancellara will be leading the men’s road team in Geelong on 30 September as well as defending his title in the time-trial in Melbourne on 3 October. Though he is not backed up by any Saxo Bank teammates, he is supported by three riders from BMC-Racing and the other four each from a different ProTour team, including Michael Albasini, the current leader of the Tour of Britain.
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