04-Mar-2010: The season’s first major European stage races – Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico will be the focus of the TestTeam for the next eleven days. But before they begin those the team will participate in Italy, this Saturday at the Montepaschi Strade Bianche.

Held annually in the Tuscany region, near Siena, the Montepaschi Strade Bianche is famous for the 70 kilometres of gravel roads that make up a substantial portion of the race route. “I am confident we have a very strong team for this race,” said Jens Zemke, sports director, who once again will lead the team at this year’s race. “The riders are very motivated. In Roger Hammond (GBR) we have a specialist who is ideal for this kind of race. Then there is our young Italian rider, Davide Appollonio (ITA), who is also very motivated to perform well as this will be his first pro race in his home country. This kind of a race is also an ideal opportunity to test how our components perform in these extreme conditions so we can determine the best equipment setup.”

The following day another contingent of Cervélo TestTeam will start Paris-Nice, also called “the race to the sun”. Although the eight-day event is named Paris-Nice, the race actually starts (as it does every year) in Montfort-l’Amaury, finishing on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. Sports Director Philippe Mauduit views the race as the final preparation for the team’s targeted races. “That doesn’t mean we are using this race for training, because Paris-Nice is too important for that,” he explained. “We will try to go for a stage win and see what we can do in the GC. For that we’re looking to Joaquín Novoa (ESP) and probably Xavier Tondo (ESP) to do something. While they will probably not be able to go for the win, they will certainly go for the best possible placement. For the flatter stages we have our sprinter, Heinrich Haussler (GER), who won the second stage in last year’s edition.”

On Wednesday March 10, the seven stage Tirreno-Adriatico, the “race of the two seas” begins following a route between the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coasts of Italy. This year’s 45th edition starts in Livorno and finishes in San Benedetto after 1,247 kilometres of racing. “Thor will led the team for this race,” said Jean-Paul van Poppel, sports director. “Our goal here is to make as strong a showing as possible and to win a stage.”

March 6: Montepaschi Strade Bianche (ITA) 1.1
Riders
Davide Appollonio (ITA)
Roger Hammond (GBR)
Jeremy Hunt (GBR)
Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU)
Brett Lancaster (AUS)
Gabriel Rasch (NOR)
Martin Reimer (GER)

Sports Director Jens Zemke (GER)

Length 190 km
Start 11:10h
Finish ±16:00h

March 7 to 14th: Paris – Nice (FRA)
Riders
Xavier Florencio (ESP)
Volodimir Gustov (UKR)
Heinrich Haussler (GER)
Ted King (USA)
Daniel Lloyd (GBR)
Joaquín Novoa (ESP)
Dominique Rollin (CAN)
Xavier Tondo (ESP)

Sports Director Philippe Mauduit (FRA)

Stages
07.03.10 Stage 1 Montfort-l’Amaury 8 km
08.03.10 Stage 2 Saint-Arnoult-en-Yvelines – Contres 201.5 km
09.03.10 Stage 3 Contres – Limoges 201 km
10.03.10 Stage 4 Saint-Junien – Aurillac 208 km
11.03.10 Stage 5 Maurs – Mende 173.5 km
12.03.10 Stage 6 Pernes-les-Fontaines – Aix-en-Provence 157 km
13.03.10 Stage 7 Peynie – Tourrettes-sur-Loup 220 km
14.03.10 Stage 8 Nice – Nice 119 km

March 10 to 16th: Tirreno-Adriatico (ITA) HIS
Riders
Roger Hammond (GBR)
Jeremy Hunt (GBR)
Thor Hushovd (NOR)
Andreas Klier (GER)
Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU)
Brett Lancaster (AUS)
Gabriel Rasch (NOR)
Martin Reimer (GER)

Sports Director Jean-Paul van Poppel (NED)

Stages
10.03.10 Stage 1 Livorno – Rosignano Solvay 148 km
11.03.10 Stage 2 Montecatini Terme – Montecatini Terme 165 km
12.03.10 Stage 3 San Miniato – Monsummano Terme 159 km
13.03.10 Stage 4 San Gemini – Chieti 243 km
14.03.10 Stage 5 Chieti – Colmurano 234 km
15.03.10 Stage 6 Montecosaro – Macerata 134 km
16.03.10 Stage 7 Civitanova Marche – San Benedetto 164 km