LPR Brakes to make Tour of Britain debut in 2008
Story posted August 4, 2008
Source: Event Press Release
Di Luca and Petacchi to lead Italian squad’s assault on this year’s Tour of Britain
The Tour of Britain organisers are pleased to announce the identity of the 16th team who will ride the 2008 race, Italian squad LPR Brakes – Ballan, led by Alessandro Petacchi and Danilo Di Luca.
Petacchi is one of the greatest sprinters ever, having won over 150 races in his career, while Di Luca will become the first winner of a Grand Tour to ride The Tour of Britain, following his win in the Giro d’Italia in 2007. The Italian team will line up alongside the likes of Team Columbia, Team CSC – Saxo Bank and Garmin – Chipotle, who have already confirmed their participation in this year’s Tour of Britain.
The decision to bring Petacchi to The Tour of Britain sets up a possible mouth-watering sprinting clash with Mark Cavendish. The Italian was the last rider before Cavendish to win four sprint stages of a Tour de France, so both riders will be looking to assert their dominance in the bunch sprints, making Stage One in London the place to be on Sunday 7th September to find out who comes out on top.
While Petacchi will be on the look out for stage wins, his teammate Di Luca, who finished 8th in the Giro d’Italia earlier this year, a race he won along with two stages, 12 months previously, is a genuine contender for the overall classification of the race. Di Luca, nicknamed ‘Killer’, will be up against a number of other riders aiming to wear the yellow jersey at the finish of the race in Liverpool, including the likes of defending champion Romain Feillu, Garmin – Chipotle’s David Millar and Team CSC – Saxo Bank’s Australian pairing of Stuart O’Grady and Bradley McGee.
Also riding will be recently crowned British Champion Rob Hayles, who of course is also nicknamed ‘Killer’, throwing up an interesting battle to see who will come out on top in the battle of the ‘Killers’! Commenting on the announcement, Mick Bennett, Technical Director of The Tour of Britain said:
“I’m pleased to be able to welcome LPR to The Tour of Britain and am sure that their inclusion will benefit the race, as both Petacchi and Di Luca are more than capable of winning stages and possibly the overall too. Like everyone else I’m also excited by the prospect of seeing Alessandro Petacchi going head-to-head with Mark Cavendish in the sprints, which should make each day’s stage finish unmissable.
Having LPR ride The Tour of Britain adds to what was already a great line-up of teams and riders, which I’m sure will make this year’s race the best yet.”
The provisional LPR Brakes – Ballan line-up for The Tour of Britain is:
Alessandro Petacchi
Danilo Di Luca
Claudio Cucinotta
Roberto Ferrari
Alessandro Maserati
Alessandro Spezialetti
Reserves: Walter Proch, Luca Celli & Gabriele Bosisio
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