Liquigas launch '07 outfit

Italian ProTour team Liquigas has taken the wraps off the squad that will lead its efforts in the peloton throughout 2007. The outfit's presentation was help at Sarpi Sei in Milan overnight and presented by local model Federica Fontana.

The team, which is hoping to "cut a fine figure in every aspect" according to its press release, features 30 riders from 13 nations, including 11 new riders to the team. The line up also includes a single neo-pro in Italian rider Dario Cataldo, winner of last year's Baby Giro.

Liquigas also announced some of its lead rider's programs in conjunction with the launch. The announcement revealed the team's lead rider Danilo Di Luca will skip this year's Tour de France to focus on winning the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España, with Filippo Pozzato to lead the outfit at the Tour.

Pozzato, who won the Milan to San Remo in 2006, will also lead the outfit in the Paris-Roubaix and sit out the Giro and Vuelta.

The outfit's first race of the year will be the Tour of Qatar on January 28 - February 2.

Liquigas' 2007 squad:
Michael Albasini (Swi), Magnus Backstedt (Swe), Patrick Calcagni (Swi), Eros Capecchi (Ita), Kjell Carlström (Fin), Mauro Da Dalto (Ita), Danilo Di Luca (Ita), Francesco Failli (Ita), Enrico Gasparotto (Ita), Roman Kreuziger (Cze), Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro), Matej Mugerli (Slo), Vincenzo Nibali (Ita), Andrea Noè (Ita), Luca Paolini (Ita), Franco Pellizotti (Ita), Manuel Quinziato (Ita), Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita), Charles Wegelius (GBr), Manuel Beltran Martinez (Spa), Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita), Francesco Chicchi (Ita), Antonio Fischer Murilo (Bra), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr), Roberto Petito (Ita), Filippo Pozzato (Ita), Guido Trenti (USA), Alessandro Vanotti (Ita), Frederik Willems (Bel), Dario Cataldo (Ita)