Jan 25, 2007
Giro To Include Only 18 Pro Tour Teams
The Giro D’Italia will feature only 18 of the 20 ProTour Teams and will make the final announcement on February 12. This is a move that signals a large fissure in the battle between the UCI’s and the three Grand Tours. This situation was not helped much when Pat McQuaid made some very odd comments about Continental European culture.
The rift between grand tour organizers and the ProTour should help Tinkoff’s chances in the Giro. Zomegnan noted his differences with UCI president Pat McQuaid and said the two were definitely not talking after recent “Mafia” comments by the Irishman. “You could really see his soul with those remarks.”
– cyclingnews.com
This split with the UCI by not including all of the ProTour teams is a natural adjustment for the Giro D’Italia which as had its little brother status to the Tour exacerbated by the ProTour.
Italy has a wealth of smaller teams whose major goal used to be the Giro D’Italia. The ProTour has put a crimp in those plans causing smaller cycling teams to completely miss out on a major goal, while other foreign teams would simply send a B squad to get training miles.
Tinkoff Credit Systems, Aqua e Sapone, Barloworld and many other teams offer a very strong option for the Giro to pick from. These teams would send some very motivated ridres that could animate the race and have other riders that could go for the win such as Stefano Garzelli of Aqua e Sapone and Tyler Hamilton of Tinkoff.
The recent Tinkoff Credit Systems team presentation was attended by some of the biggest power brokers in Italian Cycling such as Italian national director sportif Franco Ballerini, the President of the Italian Cycling Federation Renato Di Rocco and Giro organizer Angelo Zomegnan. These are the guys you want at your team presentation if your main goal is riding in the Giro.
The only question now would be who is going to be excluded from the Giro? Unibet.com might catch a break since they recently signed Jose Rujano who placed third in 2005 Giro. Other teams such as Credit Agricole has an Italian contingent who may make the Giro a main goal. Astana have Paolo Salvodelli a two time Giro champ on their roster so that may save their bid. The cut down process to 18 teams may be interesting when you see just who exactly is going to be left off.