71st Gent-Wevelgem - Team Announcements
Columbia/Highroad Primed for Cavendish, Astana, Milram - Ciolek &Förster Lead, Squad Changes: Liquigas, Silence/Lotto,  Ag2r la Mondiale, Injury Updates:  Mirco Lorenzetto, Rene Mandri

 Lampre/NGC
Health condition of Mirco Lorenzetto Improved
Lampre-NGC's cyclist, who was involved in a crash during Tour of Flandres, received by the neurolog of Sint Elisabeth hospital of Zottegem assurance that there are no important consequences dueto the hit to his  the head caused by the crash. Blue-fucsia doctor Andreazzoli, in accordance with the hospital medical staff, has determined Lorenzetto will be probably able to leave the hospital on Thursday to return home.

On Monday afternoon Lorenzetto received a visit from all team mates and the whole blue-fucsia staff. Photo © 2009 Lampre/NGC

Columbia/Highroad
Team and Cavendish Primed for Gent - Wevelgem
Team Columbia-Highroad and their top sprinter Mark Cavendish are 100 percent ready to pull out all the stops in their quest for victory in Ghent-Wevelgem on Wednesday. Already first across the line eight times in 2009, including Milan-San Remo last month, Cavendish will do his utmost to add a ninth victory in the tough Belgian Classic.

“We’ll do everything we can to get Mark to the finishing line for a sprint,” team manager Rolf Aldag commented. “We know he’s in great condition, he’s really motivated and he’s also shown this year that his climbing has improved enormously without him losing any speed at all in the sprints. I know he’s got a score to settle with Ghent-Wevelgem, too, because it didn’t work out so well for him last year in the finish and he was disappointed. This time around, he’s very keen to set the record straight.”

However, Aldag says it would be unwise to assume there will be a sprint in Ghent-Wevelgem, one of the most unpredictable Classics of the season. “Psychologically, Cavendish has the edge on his rivals, and they won’t all be waiting for a bunch sprint. They’ll be testing us from the moment the race starts and they won’t make it easy for him. If the weather is bad or if there are splits in the peloton at the wrong moment, maybe we’ll see a different outcome.”

But Team Columbia-Highroad has two veteran Ghent-Wevelgem victors riding as well. “We’ve got two former winners of Ghent-Wevelgem, George Hincapie and Marcus Burghardt, in our line-up. They’ll both be ready to go in the moves should they need to, and we’ll keep our options open.”

Columbia-Highroad for Ghent-Wevelgem: Edvald Boassen Hagen (Nor); Marcus Burghardt (Ger); Mark Cavendish (GB); Bernhard Eisel (Aut); George Hincapie (USA); Mark Renshaw (Aus); Vicente Reynes (Spa); Marcel Sieberg (Ger).

Liquigas - Bennati out of  Gent-Wevelgem
In view of the Giro d’Italia, team will not take risk
Daniele Bennati has to withdraw from starting Gent-Wevelgem. At the end of the Ronde van Vlaanderen, the sprinter had to retire after 100 kilometres, team Liquigas has decided for him to return at home. "The pain in the right thigh became acute again," explained directeur sportif Stefano Zanatta, "and we can’t run other risks. Yesterday evening Daniele returned to Italy where will face five days of rest and a new scan, then he will restart gradually return to riding The muscle problem causes the pain, above all, during forcing and change of rhythm. A rest period and physiotherapy could guarantee his complete recovery for the Giro d’Italia. After seven days, we’ll have a look at the injury again and evaluate it with the medical staff and look ath Daniele's program for next weeks".

The absence of Daniele Bennati in this Flamish classic that will take the riders, after 203 kilometres, from Gent to Wevelgem, will be filled by another sprinter, Francesco Chicchi. "The history of this race speaks of many sprint arrivals". affirmed Zanatta, "If the script will be repeated Chicchi will be our leader. In the Ronde van Vlaanderen, Liquigas riders showed a good general condition, in particular Quinziato, Kuchynski and Willems: we’ll seek to be a protagonist during the race"

Together with Chicchi, Quinziato, Kuchynski and Willems also Murilo Fischer, Enrico Franzoi, Jacopo Guarnieri and Daniel Oss will be ready to go. OurPolish rider, Maciej Bodnar, present for all the Flamish appointments of Liquigas, will take a break to prepare for Paris-Roubaix.

Silence/Lotto
Bad luck for our Belgian road champion Jürgen Roelandts.
Following his crash at Dwars door Vlaanderen, Jürgen was plagued with pains at his back. A complete scan at the Mensana clinic, has shown a slightly cracked left apophisis of the first lumbar vertebra, and a light fracture of the left apophisis of the second lumbar vertebra. He is this obliged to rest for a couple of weeks (cycling, but without racing).

Jürgen's replacement for Ghent-Wevelgem is Michiel Elijzen.

Slilenc/Lotto Selection for Wednesday's Ghent-Wevelgem:
Wilfried Cretskens - Glenn Dhollander - Leif Hoste - Olivier Kaisen - Sebastian Lang - Michiel Elijzen.- Staf Scheirlinckx - Roy Sentjens. Coach: Herman Frison

Team Milram
Gerald Ciolek and Robert Förster Lead
This upcoming Wednesday team MILRAM will be participating in the famous Belgian one-day classic Gent-Wevelgem (UCI category ProTour). For the 71st edition of the race throughout the West Flanders region, sports directors of the ProTour squad put their hopes on fast men Gerald Ciolek and Robert Förster.

Moreover, Niki Terpstra and Peter Velits also have their chances. The quartet will be supported by experienced riders Servais Knaven, Markus Eichler, Thomas Fothen and Paul Voss.

"We want to be up front at Gent-Wevelgem," said Team MILRAM sports director Christian Henn. "The profile of this classic suits our squad. The route is not quite as hard as the Tour of Flanders. If the weather is not too bad, then we should be able to contend the finale with Gerald Ciolek and Robert Förster - or with Niki Terpstra and Martin Velits depending on how the race unfolds."

The famous one-day classic is held since 1934 in the Western Flemish provinces. Contrary to the most other cobbled classics, the event follows a rather flat route and therefore also offers the sprinters in the peloton a chance for success. Only two German cycling pros won the race in the long history of the event ending in Wevelgem. Andreas Klier succeeded in 2003, his countryman Marcus Burghard in 2007. At last year's edition, Erik Zabel achieved a fourth placing against former world champion Oscar Freire in a breathtaking finale.

The MILRAM roster: Gerald Ciolek (GER/ Ermatingen, SUI), Robert Förster (GER/ Marktkleeberg), Markus Eichler (GER/ Mönchengladbach), Thomas Fothen (GER/ Kaarst), Servais Knaven (BEL/ Meerle), Niki Terpstra (NED/ Haarlem), Martin Velits (SVK/ Riemst, BEL), Paul Voss (GER/Bielefeld).
Sports director: Christian Henn.

Quick Step
This Wednesday the next classic race appears on our schedule with Gent-Wevelgem. Last year Wouter Weylandt took a third place in the this race. This year Wouter returns together with Tom Boonen, Kevin de Weert, Stijn Devolder, Matteo Tosatto, Kevin van Impe, Marco Velo and Maarten Wynants.

The race over 209 kilometers contains besides the Monteberg the Kemmelberg. This last hill is famous about its dangerous descent, but just like last year the riders take a more safe descent.

Ag2r la Mondiale Squads GVW & Paris Roubaix
René Mandri  Injury in Milan - Sanremo Update
Following a fall on Milan-San Remo, René Mandri suffered a traumatic tear  in the right femoral artery with ischemia of muscle lesions in the right quadriceps.

The diagnosis was made by the team doctor, Eric Bouvat and the rider was taken over by Professor Magne in the department of vascular surgery at the CHU de Grenoble. The Estonian rider of Ag2r la Mondiale must observe a month and a half off. A reassessment of his condition will be made after this period of rest.

Gent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix Squads
The Belgian Classic will be held Wednesday April 8, while Paris-Roubaix will be held a few days later, Sunday 12 April.
The composition of the team Ag2r la Mondiale  for these two races:
Riders
CLERC Aurélien
DION Renaud
Martin ELMIGER
Sébastien HINAULT
Lloyd Mondory
Cédric PINEAU
Stéphane Poulhiès
Gatis SMUKULIS
Team managers:
Julien Jurdi (Ghent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix)
Vincent Lavenu (Paris-Roubaix)

Team Astana
Riders: Assan Bazayev, Valeriy Dmitriyev, Maxim Iglinskiy, Berik Kupeshov, Dmitriy Muravyev, Gregory Rast & Michael Schär
Directors: Dirk Demol & Viatcheslav Ekimov

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