World Championship favorites make themselves at home in Mendrisio
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Matteo Tossato prepares for a team training ride(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Franco Ballerini greets last year's World Champion Alessandro Ballan(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
A relaxed looking Italian coach Franco Ballerini with his team's leader Damiano Cunego(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Filippo Pozzato arrives at the Italian team hotel(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Italian team hotel decked out in the appropriate livery(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Stefano Garzelli and Luca Paolini(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Giovanni Visconti arrives at the Italian team hotel in Mendrisio(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Preparations for this week's World Championships are in full swing(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Luca Paolini and Ivan Basso lead the huge Italian squad on a training ride around Mendrisio(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Reigning World Champion Alessandro Ballan leads the bunch alongside Giovanni Visconti(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alessandro Ballan gets a new set of kicks before the World Championships(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Marzio Bruzeghin gets himself set(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Italian Under-23 team outside the team's hotel(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alessandro Ballan, Giovanni Visconti, Stefano Garzelli, Ivan Basso and Filippo Pozzato round a corner(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alessandro Ballan and Filippo Pozzato ride side-by-side on the Italian team's training ride(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Giovanni Visconti was clearly happy to be in Mendrisio, Switzerland(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Giovanni Visconti waits for his Italian teammates before a pre-Worlds training ride(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Giovanni Visconti and Ivan Basso train with the Italian team prior to the 2009 World Championships(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Italian national cycling team have arrived in Mendrisio, Switzerland for the 2009 World Road Championships. The squad have wasted no time in building the rapport that will be key to their hopes of a third successive Elite World Championship road title. On the eve of the Championships, Franco Ballerini's men took to the courses that will decide who will take possession of the six rainbow jerseys on offer this week.
Italian photographer Roberto Bettini was on the ground to capture the Italian team's arrival and one of their final training rides before the action kicks off with the Under-23 time trial on Wednesday.
Click here to view all the images of the Italians' final preparations for the 2009 World Championships.
Giovanni Visconti and Ivan Basso train with the Italian team prior to the 2009 World Championships.
Franco Ballerini greets last year's World Champion Alessandro Ballan.
Matteo Tossato gets strapped in for an Italian team training ride.
Click here to view all the images of the Italians' final preparations for the 2009 World Championships.
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