Giro Runner Up Riccardo Ricco of Saunier Duval Gears Up For The Tour de France (with Roster)
PARIS, June 24, 2008 (AFP) - Italian Riccardo Ricco has been named in Saunier Duval’s nine-man Tour de France team for the July 5-27 race as a replacement for Spaniard Jose Angel Gomez Marchante.
The 24-year-old Ricco, seen by many in Italy as the heir to deceased Giro and Tour winner Marco Pantani, will participate in his second Tour de France and is most likely to be aiming for stage wins in the mountains.
Although recently confirming his class as a general classification rider with a second place in the Giro d’Italia to Alberto Contador of Spain, Ricco would be considered a big outside bet for the Tour’s yellow jersey. On his race debut in 2006, working for Italian climber Gilberto Simoni, Ricco finished in 98th position overall.
This year Ricco, considered one of the most exciting, outspoken and reportedly disliked riders in the peloton, will have the ever-useful climber Leonardo Piepoli as a key helper in the mountains.
Marchante, according to Saunier Duval, had to pull out of the Tour because of concerns over his health.
Saunier Duval team for the Tour de France:
Juan Jose Cobo (ESP), Jesus del Nero (ESP), Alberto Fernandez de la Puebla (ESP), David de la Fuente (ESP), Angel Litu Gomez (ESP), Josep Jufre (ESP), Leonardo Piepoli (ITA), Riccardo Ricco (ITA).
Note: ninth place to go to either Rubens Bertogliati (SUI), Ruben Lobato
(ESP) or Aurelien Passeron (FRA) depending on results from national championships.
Photo by: CorVos Pro
Categories: Giro d'Italia, News, Tour de France
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