2011 Giro d'Italia - Team Quick Step Cycling
Team
Davide Bramati brings a strong mixed team of youngsters and veterans ready to
surprise in the hunt for stage and a high placing on the overall in the 94th
edition of the Giro d’Italia.
"We have a young, energetic team, eager to make their mark at the Giro," says
Sports Director Davide Bramati, who'll be
charged with the task of guiding the team from the flagship.
"Historically we've always played offence in the Giro d’Italia, and this year
we're also going to try to animate the race when we can. The team is valid and
qualified for any type of terrain. We have some good sprinters, riders who are
good at attacking, like Jerome Pineau and athletes such as Cataldo and
Seeldraeyers on whom we're counting to make a leap in quality with respect to
last year. Our lead-up to the Giro was good, the team is in good shape. Our aim
is to attempt to win at least one stage and try to get one of our athletes into
the top 10 of the overall standings.”
Welcome friends and supporters to the 2011 Giro d’Italia. The season’s first
three-week grand tour always brings a unique sense of anticipation and promise
as cycling’s calendar shifts gears from the spring classics into the drama and
excitement that comes with stage racing. The “corsa rosa” is always a special
race for the Quick-Step Cycling Team and we have a long history of being
protagonists in the Italian tour.
This year sees the Giro celebrating the 150th anniversary of the unification
of Italy, something that will make the race even more dramatic and meaningful.
The route reaches to the far corners of Italy and we hope to be right in the
middle of the action from Torino to Sicily to the decision mountains in the
Dolomites and Alps. Quick-Step brings a young and energetic squad set on leaving
its mark on the race.
Expect to see the Quick-Step jersey on the attack, in the decisive moves in
the mountains and in the thick of the bunch sprints. And when the dust settles
in Milano, we hope to have won a stage or two and put one of our young riders
into the top of the GC. Patrick Lefevere
A quick look at the riders chosen by Lefevere and Bramati easily explains the
optimism. Each of the riders names is memorable enough for their attacks in
races this or last year.
Dario Cataldo is a talented all round rider and climber and we won't be
surprised if he connects this year with a stage win. Last year his Giro was
marred by illness leading to his forced retirement. With just a small amount of
luck this talented climber with an aggressive attitude could be raising his arms
above his head, taking his first Giro win this year.
Kevin Seeldrayers, may be Quick Step's best hope for a high G.C. placing, one
of the most talented young Belgians of his generation, Seeldrayers quickly made
his mark in his rookie season, riding to fifth at the Tour de Georgia in 2007.
In 2009, he confirmed his promise by finishing 14th overall in the Giro and
winning the best young rider’s jersey. Last year, he made his Tour de France
debut and will return to the Giro this year with eyes on the top-10.
Bramati’s view: “Kevin is a rider who can ride consistently for three weeks.
This year, he will be entering the Giro with more experience and ambitions. Even
though it’s a very hard Giro, we think that perhaps he could finish within a
top-10. That would be a great result and provide him a and provide him a and
provide him a solid foundation for the
future. He’s a steady rider who can handle the pressure in the mountains.”
Italian, David Malacarne will be a young rider to watch. This talented 24
year old, a talented rider makes his debut in his first grand tour, could make
some surprises as he gains his first experience of a racing a three week event.
For the few sprint stages Bramati brings two proven performers: Francesco
Chicchi and Gerald Ciolek bth fast wheels who can make wins without a train
working off other riders
34 year old Addy Engels is the veteran in the group, labeled as a domestique
by the team he adds strength in every terrain whether helping in a sprint of
launching an attack in the mountains.
In Bramati’s view: “He brings so much experience to the team, which will be
even more important this year for us as we’re bringing some younger riders to
the Giro. He’s in the best condition he’s been in for the past few seasons, so
we can expect him to try to get into breakaways in the transition stages. He’s
more motivated than ever and wants to win a stage.”
Jerome Pineau's name conjures up memories of the long attack and due to his
tenacity also a winner of such races as the Tour de l’Ain and the Clasica de
Almeria. At 31 Pineau is a man in his prime, won a stage last year in his Giro
debut in the first week and can use his experience to help the young
riders and team at crucial moments in the race.
Quick Step Team
Giro d'Italia (ITA) WorldTour
Dario Cataldo (ITA)
Francesco Chicchi (ITA)
Gerald Ciolek (GER)
Addy Engels (NED)
Davide Malacarne (ITA) |
Jerome Pineau (FRA)
Francesco Reda (ITA)
Kevin Seeldraeyers (BEL)
Kristof Vandewalle (BEL)
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Sports Director Davide Bramati (ITA) &
Rik van Slycke (BEL)
“It’s a very demanding Giro. Like every year, the Giro is always a hard race,
but maybe this year’s is even a little more difficult,” says Quick-Step sport
Director Davide Bramati. “It’s a good route for the fans and it will make for a
good race. The winner won’t be decided perhaps until the final day, so it should
be exciting from the start all the way to the finish.”
Equipment
As they did last year, Eddy Merckx Cycles will supply the Quick-Step Cycling
Team with racing bikes. Furthermore, the 2011-look of the bikes will entirely
match the jerseys’ design. Our riders will use two top models from the EM-collection:
the EMX-7 and the EMX-5. For the fine-tuning, Eddy Merckx will choose partners
that strive for the same quality as they do. Campagnolo groupset and wheels, FSA
components, Prologo saddles, and Vittoria tires & tubes. All of this because
that what has been tested and approved by the Quick-Step Cycling team, will
definitely satisfy the needs of demanding cycling-fanatics.
BBB Computer: All Quick-Step riders in
the Giro d’Italia will be equipped with the BBB MicroBoard Team Quick-Step
cycling computer. This wireless computer with 13 functions will show the riders
for example their actual speed or average speed during the 3496km between
Venaria Reale and Milan. The riders can easily operate the MicroBoard by a
single button that guides you through all the information on the high resolution
3 line
LCD display with 3D-dot technology.
Putting Team Quick Step on the Road at the Giro
A total of 16 Peugeot vehicles are at the team’s disposal: 7 508-models, 5
5008-models, 2 Expert that are used for VIP services, 1 3008-model. In addition
to these vehicles the team also has 2 buses, 2 lorries and 1 van.
The team has 90 Eddy Merckx road bicycles at their disposal and 34 Eddy Merckx
time trial bikes. They also have more than 160 pairs of carbon wheels, 30 pairs
of lenticular disc wheels and 35 pairs of wheels especially designed for the
cobble/paving races. More than 90 helmets and 120 pairs of racing glasses
delivered by BBB will be used throughout the season. A total of 450 racing
jerseys will be used, 500 pairs of racing shorts, 2,500 race hats and 300 gloves
provided by Vermarc. More than 1,200 pairs of socks are used thanks to
Defeet.Incredible amounts of drinking bottles delivered by Tacx will also be
used throughout the season: 25,000 and 3,500 musettes. More than 17,000 energy
bars will be eaten and 12,000 race gels provided by Sports Control
Celebrating our 11th year!
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94th Giro d'Italia Stages
07.05.11 Prologue Venaria Reale - Torino 21.5 km (TTT)
08.05.11 Stage 2 Alba - Parma 244.0 km
09.05.11 Stage 3 Reggio Emilia - Rapallo 178.0 km
10.05.11 Stage 4 Quarto dei Mille - Livorno 208.0 km
11.05.11 Stage 5 Piombino - Orvieto 201.0 km
12.05.11 Stage 6 Orvieto - Fiuggi Terme 195.0 km
13.05.11 Stage 7 Maddaloni - Montevergine di Mercogliano 100.0 km
14.05.11 Stage 8 Sapri - Tropea 214.0 km
15.05.11 Stage 9 Messina - Etna 159.0 km
16.05.11 Restday Restday 0.0 km
17.05.11 Stage 10 Termoli - Teramo 156.0 km
18.05.11 Stage 11 Tortoreto Lido - Castefidardo 160.0 km
19.05.11 Stage 12 Castefidardo - Ravenna 171.0 km
20.05.11 Stage 13 Spilimbergo - Grossglockner 159.0 km
21.05.11 Stage 14 Lienz - Monte Zoncolan 210.0 km
22.05.11 Stage 15 Conegliano - Cardeccia/Val di Fassa 230.0 km
23.05.11 Restday Restday 0.0 km
24.05.11 Stage 16 Belluno - Nevegal 12.7 km (ITT)
25.05.11 Stage 17 Feltre - Tirano 230.0 km
26.05.11 Stage 18 Morbegno - San Pellegrino Terme 147.0 km
27.05.11 Stage 19 Bergamo - Macugnaga 209.0 km
28.05.11 Stage 20 Verbania - Sestriere 242.0 km
29.05.11 Stage 21 Milano - Milano 31.5 km (ITT)
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