Bardiani names Giro squad, Dimension Data Giro long list, Vansummeren links up with Synergy Baku
Image 1 of 6
Nairo Quintana on the final Romandie podium.(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The Bardiani CSF riders in training(Image credit: C&PStudioLab)
Giulio Ciccone (Bardiani CSF)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nathan Haas (Dimension Data)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Omar Fraile (Dimension Data) attacks(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Johan Vansummeren in the AG2R La Mondiale car(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Live coverage of the Tour de Romandie
With the Ardennes Classics done and dusted, the focus turns once again to stage racing with the Tour de Romandie. The six-day race features a mixture of Grand Tour riders, some of whom have their sights set on next week’s Giro d’Italia, such as Tejay van Garderen and Ilnur Zakarin, while Chris Froome and Richie Porte begin their build-up to the Tour de France.
Cyclingnews will have live coverage of each of the six stages, beginning on Tuesday, April 25. You can find that throughout the week at live.cyclingnews.com
The race kicks off with a short 4.8km prologue in Aigle, the home of the sport’s governing body. There will be two summit finishes along the way - on stages 3 and 4 - and another time trial around Lausanne to close out the week.
Live coverage of Tuesday's opening prologue will begin with the first rider down the ramp at 14:53 local time. Click here for live coverage and here for a list of the prologue start times.
Bardiani CSF announces squad for Giro 100
Italian Pro-Continental team Bardiani CSF has announced its squad for next month's 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia.
"We have clear ideas about the Giro d'Italia, the way to ride it, and we strongly believe the riders will be able to turn the aims into actions, attacks, and, why not, successes," said team manager Roberto Reverberi. "Riders' selection is the result of a long think and accurate observation. Our priorities have been form, first of all all, and the improving signals that riders showed during the last weeks."
Included in the Giro team are two debutants, Vincenzo Albanese and Lorenzo Rota, and, despite the young average age, Bardiani CSF is confident of winning a stage for the fifth straight year.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
"It's never easy to make choices - all the riders of the team had a chance - but we’ve trusted in every single rider that we've selected," Reverberi added. "It's almost redundant saying how important the Giro is for us, but this awareness is not enough to leave a mark on the race. Dedication, passion, determination and even suffering: that is what we need make a bold performance. It will be a hard challenge but we can’t wait to start."
Stefano Pirazzi is one of three riders to have won a Giro stage in the squad and also the most experienced with seven previous appearances and the 2014 mountains classification jersey. Nicola Boem and Giulio Ciccone are the other two stage winners for the squad. Having taken back-to-back wins at the Tour of Croatia, Nicola Ruffoni will be a key rider on the flat stages for the team with Enrico Barbin a second card to play.
Bardiani CSF for the 100th Giro d'Italia: Vincenzo Albanese, Simone Andreetta, Enrico Barbin, Nicola Boem, Giulio Ciccone, Mirco Maestri, Stefano Pirazzi, Lorenzo Rota and Nicola Ruffoni.
11-rider Giro d'Italia long list for Dimension Data
South African team Dimension Data has announced its 11-rider long list for next month's Giro d'Italia. Of the 11 riders, six are African, with South African Ryan Gibbons and Rwandan Adrien Niyonshuti in line to make their Grand Tour debuts.
Spaniard Igor Anton and Australian Nathan Haas are the two most experienced three-week riders in the versatile long list. Vuelta a Espana king of the mountains winner Omar Fraile adds climbing depth to the squad, with Vuelta stage winner Kristian Sbaragli the team's sprinter. Fraile wore the Giro's blue mountain jersey last year and is likely to again animate the classification. Tour de France polka-dot jersey wearer Daniel Teklehaimanot is one of the riders in line for his Giro debut and will also be a key rider in the high mountains.
Dimension Data is still searching for its first win in 2017 on European soil and first victory since Gibbon's Le Tour de Langkawi victory in early-March.
Dimension Data long list for the Giro d'Italia: Omar Fraile, Igor Antón, Ryan Gibbons, Adrien Niyonshuti, Ben King, Daniel Teklehaimanot, Jacques Janse Van Rensburgh, Johann Van Zyl, Kristian Sbaragli, Nathan Haas, and Natnael Berhane.
Vansummeren links up with Synergy Baku Cycling Project
Former professional Johan Vansummeren, who was forced into retirement last year due to a heart problem, is making a return to the sport in an advisory role with the Continental Synergy Baku squad.
"I'm very thankful for the opportunity the Azerbaijan Cycling Federation is giving me. Together with the Federation I'm hoping to bring my knowledge to the Azeri riders to help and support them to reach their highest dreams," said Vansummeren.
Vansummeren, who was a guest in the AG2R-La Mondiale team car at the spring classics this year, will link up with the Synergy Baku team at the Tour d'Azerbaijan next month, as well as at the national championships.
"I'm honoured to be a guest during their national tour and the national championships. I hope to speak as soon as possible with the riders and the staff to make a plan of ‘attack' and help them with all their questions. Hopefully, it's the start of an ongoing partnership where we can work very well together," he added.
The team won three stages at the Tour du Maroc last month, with two for Kirill Pozdnyakov and one for Elchin Asadov.
