Strong field gathers on Italian island for 2010 event
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Race director Stefano Pilato speaks at a pre-race press conference(Image credit: Sirotti)
All aboard! The ferry responsible for the team's safe passage to Sardegna(Image credit: Sirotti)
BBox Bouygues Telecom riders will have the RV to look forward to at the starts and finishes(Image credit: Sirotti)
The less-glamourous side of professional cycling: Aqua & Sapone staff wait for late-night loading of the team vehicles on the Italian mainland(Image credit: Sirotti)
Meridiana Kamen's team truck and team car wait patiently(Image credit: Sirotti)
Meridiana Kamen may not have the infrastructure of some of their rivals but they are bound to put up a fight this week(Image credit: Sirotti)
RadioShack's team truck waits to board the ferry on Sunday night in Livorgno(Image credit: Sirotti)
De Rosa-Stac Plastic are one of a number of Italian teams taking part at the Giro di Sardegna(Image credit: Sirotti)
Some impressive machinery delivers the teams to the Italian island(Image credit: Sirotti)
Aqua & Sapone's crew arrive to support Stefano Garzelli and his teammates at the Giro di Sardegna(Image credit: Sirotti)
Michael Rasmussen will lead Miche this week(Image credit: Sirotti)
Aqua & Sapone make their way off the ferry.(Image credit: Sirotti)
The sun begins to rise as RadioShack land on Sardegna(Image credit: Sirotti)
RadioShack's team cars disembark after the ferry ride from Livorgno(Image credit: Sirotti)
Shimano's neutral service vehicles return to dry land.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Race organisers Stefano Pilato and Adriano Amici with the jersey's that will be worn by classification leaders(Image credit: Sirotti)
The staff of teams competing in this week's Giro di Sardegna faced a late night on Sunday as they, quite literally, ferried their squads' equipment to the port city of Olbia on the Italian island.
The five-stage event will begin in Olbia on Tuesday for just the second running of the event in the past 13 years. Void of significant climbs, the event is likely to suit sprinter who can record consistent finishes; as it did last season when Daniele Bennati (Liquigas-Doimo) took a stage win and four top-ten placings to record a 12 second overall win.
Bennati will not return to defend his title at the race, with Liquigas-Doimo opting to send Roman Kreuziger and Vincenzo Nibali as the team's big name riders. While Bennati will be absent, sprint rival Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese Vini) will return, keen to improve on a single stage victory last year.
A number of other high-profile riders will also take part in the event and hope to foil the sprinters. Alexander Kolobnev (Katusha), Giovanni Visconti (ISD-Neri), Stefano Garzelli (Aqua & Sapone) and Michael Rasmussen (Miche) will likely look for participation in an escape to secure a high overall finish.
RadioShack's Janez Brajkovic and US-rider Chris Horner will both be opening their respective seasons at the event.
Bennati's victory at the 2009 Giro di Sardegna came ahead of Oscar Gatto, who will return this year with his ISD-Neri squad. BMC Racing team's absence from the event means Alessandro Ballan will not have the opportunity to improve on third place last year.
The race begins in Olbia on Tuesday, February 23 and will conclude in the island's capital, Cagliari, on Saturday, February 27.
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