News & Reviews

After experiencing troubles during long trips across the world, the two groups sent by the FUJI-SERVETTO team await for the start of the competitions at their respective headquarters in Australia and Argentina - the countries that will hold the first races Fuji-Servetto will compete in as a new UCI ProTeam. The squad will wear their new gear for the first time tomorrow by participating in the traditional Down Under Classic (known as Cancer Council Classic for this year), a criterium held in Adelaide over a 1.7-km circuit, with 30 laps for all the riders to complete a 51-km competition; this race will act as prelude for the Tour Down Under, the first stage race of the UCI ProTour, and also the first round of the new World Calendar.

Team general manager Alvaro Crespi will be in charge of a 7-man unit, composed by Daniele Nardello, Davide Vigano, William Walker, Hilton Clarke, Javier Megias, Ivan Dominguez y Ermanno Capelli.

“We’re really willing to make our debut at last,” Crespi explained from Australian soil. “We had a very long trip to get here, since we had to deal with some bureaucratic proceedings regarding Ivan Dominguez; that made us arrive later than expected. However, we’ve spent three days training without major troubles, and I see that our riders are well prepared. I think Nardello and Walker can reach a good spot at the General Classification, and Vigano and Clarke might be able to fight for a stage win. We’ll have to see how Dominguez performs, because he’s had some problems with his knee for the last couple of days, and thus he’s come here with some doubts”.

For the other group, Sabino Angoitia will be the the driector for the FUJI-SERVETTO competition in the 3rd edition of the Tour de San Luis –sanctioned by the UCI with a 2.1 category license for the first time ever- starting next Monday, with a line-up composedo of Alberto Benitez, David de la Fuente, Jesus del Nero, Benat Intxausti, Hector Gonzalez and Ricardo Serrano. The “blue expedition” arrived in San Luis, Argentina yesterday after an endless, 30-hour journey, which was followed by an unpleasant surprise. The team's equipment apparently didn't catch the same plane as the riders, leaving the team without any bikes for a full two days.

“The most important thing is that we’re safely here,” Angoitia said from Argentina. “After such a hard fight, we managed to make the team show up this season, and everyone inside the team is very eager to start competing, especially the riders. I see they’re really hopeful, and this is a race that will suit them very well, since the routes and the good weather are very adequate for the lads that we brought here”.