Nov 3, 2005
DiLuca in Mexico and Aqua e Sapone get Fassa’s stuff
Giancarlo Ferretti will give some of Fassa Bortolo’s infrastructure to the smaller Aqua e Sapone team. Some of the technical staff will move over as will some riders that currently have a contract with Ferretti for Sony Ericsson. The team will also switch from Moser bikes to DeRosa/Masciarelli (the bike company of the Director Sportif).
Danilo “The Killer” DiLuca will be training in high-altitude in Mexico during January and February (maybe he can ride in the Tour of California after his training…). His main goal for 2006 is winning the Giro D’Italia. He will not be focusing on the Spring Classics as much this year, but may be fit enough for Liege-Bastongne-Liege which two weeks before the Giro.
DiLuca won’t be riding on a Bianchi next season even though they will still sponsor the team. Odd relationship for a bike company to sponsor the team in name only. The new bike supplier is not yet know, but I am thinking that it could be a smaller custom supplier. That would make the most sense for both Bianchi and the bike supplier. Other speculation could point to the Cannondale being the new supplier? They no longer are supplying Lampre with bikes, so they may want to keep their presence in the highly lucrative Euro-bike market.