Ballan fearless for Worlds

Alessandro Ballan has proved his stature this year by taking two important wins; he out-gunned Leif Hoste in April's Ronde van Vlaanderen and foiled the sprinters in last weekend's Hamburg Cyclassics. The experience of such victories has rendered the 27 year-old from Castelfranco, Veneto, fearless and he is ready to face the World Championships, using this week's Eneco Tour to build his form.

"For the national team I think I have demonstrated to go strong," said Ballan to La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I have passed some wonderful moments and, from here, I can also manage myself at the Worlds. I have already talked with Directeur Sportif Franco Ballerini at the Trofeo Matteotti, who has made guarantees that a spot will arrive [on the national team] like last year at Salzburg." Ballan had the 2006 Worlds in one long line on the last two laps and his actions paved the way for team-mate Paolo Bettini to claim the rainbow jersey.

"I don't consider myself amongst the captains, because men like Bettini, Di Luca and Rebellin have more experience. However, I have shown that I don't have fear in the important races and I would like to have a role, maybe in the form of a long escape."

Today the eight-day Eneco Tour starts in Hasselt, Belgium, near the location where Ballan scored his monumental win in De Ronde. In the next few days it is speculated that Lampre-Fondital will renew his contract that ends with 2007.