Team NetApp to test its form at the Giro d’ Italia 2012
Team Net App is warming up for its first Grand Tour appearance at the 2012 version of the Giro d’ Italia.
It is fully confident from the number of victories claimed in the season already.
The German side has filled its bag with as many as four victories in the earlier part of the season.
Jan Barta secured an overall win for the side during the Rund um Koln and the Settimana internazionale di Coppi e Bartali and also claimed the first stage of the race.
Team NetApp will miss the services of its star climber Leo Konig at the Giro as the cyclist is struggling with his fitness.
Team Manager Ralph Denk has stated that the team’s morale is boosted because of the recent wins.
He is certain of the team’s improved performance during the Italian Grand Tour.
“Our successes over the last few weeks were shared amongst several members of the team, and we’ll be employing this philosophy for the Giro too”.
“We are conscious that the overall ranking is not an issue for us, so we’ll take things day by day. The riders’ form is right and all of them are strong enough to get some good results”, he concluded.
Ralph also hinted that the presence of Timon Seubert and Daniel Schorn will be of great help.
The duo has recently assisted the team with their superb performances during the Tour of Flanders and the Paris-Roubaix 2012.
Exclusion of the Czech rider Leo Konig will definitely affect the team’s strength as he was an ideal candidate for the overall classifications.
Denk mentioned, “Of course it’s tough to be without him, but we’d rather he recovers and is fit in the second half of the season than allow him to race in pain”.
The 2012 version of the Giro d’ Italia is scheduled from May 5-27 and a total number of 22 teams will ride the event.
All the 18 UCI World Tour teams have automatically qualified for the race. Four professional continental teams to rid the event are Team Androni Giocattoli, Team Colnago-CSF Inox, Team Farnese Vini-Selle Italia and Team NetApp.
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