Team Liquigas not dead yet
Italy-based Team Liquigas, led by Ivan Basso, was formed in 1999, but has only just achieved its first Grand Tour victory. Basso was the victor of the 2010 Giro d’Italia and entered the Tour de France as a real threat to Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong, until all three leading contenders fell way behind in after a crash in the first stage. The team now stands in 13th place overall.
"I smacked my right knee, causing some cuts and abrasions," Basso said. "Falling is never pleasant, but I hope to avoid risks in the coming days."
Ivan Basso, 32, whom Armstrong once called his most feared rival, returns to the Tour after a four-year absence cause by a doping scandal and a self-imposed exile. He won the three-week Tour of Italy in May. Basso, aka Ivan the Terrible, is one of the best mountain riders in the professional field and is considered one of the strongest stage cyclists.
“I face this new challenge with a strong wish to fight till Paris: I don’t preclude any results, the road will return the verdict.”
Roman Kreuziger, 24, a leading contender for this year’s white jersey, is an all-rounder. He is also considered one of the biggest talents of the sport after winning the 2004 Junior Road World Championships and the 2008 Tour de Suisse at the age of 22. In 2009 he got back to the Tour de Romandie and finally succeeded in his attempt to win the race, getting also one stage victory. The youngest rider to finish in the top 10 of last year’s Tour de France, Kreuziger finished 9th overall. In 2008, he came in 13th place and earlier this year he claimed the white jersey in Paris-Nice, finishing 3rd overall.
“This Tour is harder than 2008 and 2009: the Alps will be the first step to understand the chances of pretenders, while on Pyrenees the classification will be decided, explained Kreuziger. “I’ll exploit this last week to refine the legs to be at the top for Rotterdam prologue: I feel myself stronger in respect of other years and together with Ivan can give hard time to everyone.”
Kristjan Koren, 23, is primarily a long-distance cyclist and collected 25 victories before this year.
Daniel Oss, 23, also a long-distance specialist, collected 11 victories before this race and won the track National Championship, category team pursuit, in 2006 and 2009.
“We can play our chances for good results in this Tour de France,” affirmed director Stefano Zanatta in a team press release. “Koren and Oss, two young riders at their first experience in a long stages race, will have the opportunity to confirm the potential showed during the first part of the season.”
Sylwester Szmyd, 32, is primarily a climber. In 2009, he took part in the World Championships and won the first stage at the Critérium du Dauphinè Libére.
Francesco Bellotti, 31, is an all-rounder, skilled at climbing as well as long-distance. He is a new addition to Team Liquigas to strengthen their climbing.
Aleksandr Kuschynski, 30, is a long-distance rider. He took part in Olympic Games in 2008, and in 2009 he took part in World Championships and was runner-up in the Gent-Wevelgam race.
Manuel Quinziato, 29, is a long-distance rider. He took part in time trial World Championships in 2008 and this will be his third time at the Tour de France, and his second with Team Liquigas.
Brian Bach Vandborg, 28, is also a long-distance rider. In 2006, Vandborg became a national champion by capturing the Danish Individual Time Trial Championship. He later finished fourth at the World Time Trial Championship.
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