Team Barloworld lands big invites
21 February 2006
South Africa's Team Barloworld is making the kind of waves that are the dream of professional cyclists, with their strong early season showings resulting in a number of sought-after invitations.
The Amaury Sport Organisation has invited the team to participate in four events, including two staples on the Italian calendar: the Tirreno-Adriatico Tour and the Milan-San Remo Classic, to take place in March. Both events feature only the top-20 pro tour teams.
Team Barloworld has also been invited to two big classics in Belgium, the Fleché Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Both races will be held in April.
'Excited'
"Team Barloworld is excited to be invited to four of this season's prominent races," says Claudio Corti, the team's manager. "One of the team's objectives for 2006 is to race as many pro-tour races as possible."
The team is currently racing in the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal. In March they
will head for South Africa for the Giro Del Capo and the Pick 'n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour.
The team's race programme for 2006 is comprehensive, including a mixture of Pro-Tour and professional continental races in Africa, Asia, Europe and the United States.
Races
The team will also contest the Amstel Gold Race, the San Sebastin Classic and Paris-Tours, as well as the Tour de Georgia, the Tour of Britain and the Tour of Portugal.
One of the their primary aims is to secure entry into one of either the Giro d'Italia or the Vuelta Espana. Corti was manager of the squads that won the Giro D'Italia in 1997, 2003, and 2004.
Team Barloworld's 17 riders are a cosmopolitan mix, featuring five South Africans - Ryan Cox, Jock Green, Tiaan Kannemeyer, Jeremy Maartens, and James Perry – as well as cyclists from Russia, Spain, Columbia, Italy, Portugal, England and Denmark.
New men
The new men on board
for the 2006 season are Mads Christensen, a 23-year-old Dane, who joins from Quickstep; Italian Mauro Facci, 23, who rode with Fasso Bortolo; and Giosue Bonomi, who was previously with Corti on the Lampre-Caffita and Saeco teams.
Also in the 2006 squad is Hugo Sabido, a promising talent from Portugal, while Amets Txurruka of Spain and Russian Alex Efimkin are the team's new pros.
Famous international bike manufacturer Cannondale has recognised the achievements and strong ambition of the team, and has come on board as technical sponsor.
It seems everything is in place for Team Barloworld, now racing in a can't-miss red strip, to land the place it seeks in either the Giro D'Italia or Vuelta Espana.
Team Barloworld 2006
Pedro Arreitunandia, Igor Astarloa, Giosue Bonomi, Felix Cardenas, Gianpaolo Cheula, Mads Christensen, Ryan Cox, Enrico Degano, Alex Efimkin, Mauro Facci, Jock Green, Tiaan Kannemeyer, Jeremy Maartens, James Perry, Hugo Sabido, Tom
Southam, Amets Txurruka
SouthAfrica.info reporter
| 
