By Cathy Mehl

Yesterday in Georgia was the opportunity for the press to see the hard men who will be riding this seven stage race. We will have more from this press conference, but first we present comments from World Champion Mario Cipollini, of the Domina Vacanze team.

Mario Cipollini was well received with a big round of applause as he arrived with his interpreter. Race announcer Jeff Roake described Mario as a great athlete, a great character and a great talent. His palmares were laid out by Roake, as well as his antics off the bike, such as arriving at the start line dressed as Julius Caesar. Roake asked asked him, since he appears to be near the end of his career, how did he wish to be remembered? Mario stated that he didn’t know how he wished to be remembered, but he wants definitely to be remembered and he thinks he’s done something to be remembered.

Chris Brewer from Lance Armstrong.com said it was widely published that Cipo has promised to finish the TdF this year; did he really mean it and how would he achieve that? Mario said his first objective was to participate in the Tour and now that he’s on his second objective, which is to win stages and then definitely to get to Paris. When asked what brought him to the Tour de Georgia and what did he hope to accomplish this week, Mario answered that he wanted to be here just to get away from Europe and to get ready for the Giro. He said since he’d won many places in the world, and that he’d like to win in the United States because it would be the first time.

He was then asked if he knew anything about the domestic sprinters he would be facing in the sprint finishes. He said he didn’t know anything about the domestic riders here but that he hoped to not be beaten by someone with "less value" than himself (big laugh from crowd, and the interpreter said that maybe his English wasn’t so good!), but he would respect whomever might beat him. He knows a valuable rider might not be the one with the big name. But he hopes to win stages here and beat the other riders.

He was then asked why he races American bikes instead of Italian ones. He said that American companies have spent a lot of money being sure to send out the best products, but Italian companies are struggling right now because they haven't invested as much, so that’s why it’s worth it to him to ride American bikes.

The next comment was concerning who would help him find out about the competition here in Georgia and he replied that he will find out at the race. Because of his experience, he’ll see who has the better way of pedalling; he’s always done it this way and he’ll definitely use this same technique to check people out in Stage One. Asked if he picked the team to race with him in America, he said when he decided to come the team was already pretty much done, but he sat down with the DS and discussed people, and introduced two people he felt he needed for the finish (he didn’t name names).

The race announcer told the crowd about the importance of the lead out, speaking about Lombardi. Roake spoke of Cipo's record of four wins at the Giro, and his stated goal of getting to Paris in July, and asked would he try to save himself for the Tour and go a little easier in the Giro? He said definitely that the goal is to win in France and he intends to have the best condition for France, since he’s won so many at the Giro. Cipollini holds the record for the number of Giro stage wins - 42.

He was told that the cycling community in Georgia is very excited that he’s come here, and is looking forward to seeing some outrageous outfits at the start line. He said of course he was here to win and he hoped to do it in a most spectacular way since sprinting is, in itself, so spectacular, and he hopes to bring one of his best sprint wins to the people and have them be excited by that. In Italy he offers shows during the press conferences, but here he said he is limited by the language.

He was asked how he was affected by Marco Pantani’s death, and he answered that he was good friends with Marco and his death has affected him and the entire cycling community. He felt Marco's death deeply. Now that the tragedy [mourning] period of Marco’s death has passed, he hopes, and he will be sure, that Marco will be remembered for what he has been and what he has given to the sport.

Cipo agrees to a photo while riding the elevator...Click for larger image.

Referring to great battles with other sprinters, he was asked if he was coming to the end of his career and how would he like to leave the cycling community? He said one thing he is experiencing in this latest period of his career is freedom; he is free to decide what he wants to do next. Right now he’s very motivated and since this motivation will stay, he plans to keep going and then some day when that’s gone, he’ll just quit. But before then, he doesn’t think about it.

Regarding Lombardi leaving and then rejoining the team, he was asked if he now had a good connection with Lombardi and was he the guy for his leadouts? Mario replied that this situation has been overly amplified in the media, and that he had no problem with Lombardi’s decision to leave and lead a team, he respects that. But now that he’s back, he has no problem with Giovanni and is comfortable and happy to have him back on the team with him.

He was asked if he had studied the climbs he’ll have to do in TdG at all. He said he doesn’t know much about the climbs and will just find out about the climbs day by day. He knows there are tough climbs. He is very calm and confident and he’s here for training to get ready for an important race.

With his goal of making it to Paris this year, how has he changed his training, and what makes him think he can make it over the mountains at age 37 when he couldn’t make it in previous years? He replied that he’d quit in the past, not so much because of physical problems, but more from psychological problems. And he’s finished many Giros and he’s training a little differently. He tried to race leaner, but he found he lost power in the sprints so he’s changed his training again so he can win sprints.

Asked about American teammate David Clinger, Mario said he just met him and rode with him today so he couldn’t say much about him, but to ask this question again in a week.

Asked who will be the NEXT Mario Cipollini when he’s gone, who will have the charisma and be the next sex symbol in cycling? (Huge laugh from the crowd, and then from Mario when the question was translated). He says replacing someone like Armstrong is difficult, champions like that are not born every year. It is more difficult to find a crazy one like Cipollini.

What’s his first impression of the south, of Georgia? He’s been very happy about the way he’s been welcomed here. Besides the warmth of the people, he likes the warmth of the weather. In Italy it is raining and cold right now. He said also he is very impressed that in US cycling there are a lot of women, which is another positive aspect that he misses in Europe.

That was it for Mario. He was really very lively and charming, despite the language barrier. I sure was wishing I’d studied Italian in high school!