The Vesuvio-Accumalux team have been completing their final stages of preparation prior to the beginning of the season. The time trial national champions Matea Kvasina and Rigoberto Uran joined Benat Intxausti and our 4 core members of our time trial squad: Marcel Kittel, Michael Ford, Marcel Barth and Nick Clesen, in a time trialling session. We hope to be a strong competitor in the mid-race TTTs this season - to gain or at least minimise losses on our rivals in each race - so all early-season preperations will be crucial.
Kittel, Ford and Barth all then left to fly out to Doha, where the other 4 members of our Tour of Qatar squad had arrived early in order to fully acclimatise to the hot, windy conditions. The Luxembourg pairing of Ben Gastauer and Nico Schinker, plus Jan Hopman and Denis Galimzyanov. We don't expect to be a feature in the bunch sprints, with breakaways being the target - but most importantly of all, to be ready to react to the likely unpredictable nature of the crosswinds.
Tour of Qatar Targets:
- Top 5, TTT Stage 1 - a lot depends on the positioning out of the gate, but Kittel and Ford will each hope to pilot the lineup to a strong time
- Top 10 in any other stage - any ranking points for something other than finishing the race would be a great bonus
In the coming days, Vesuvio-Accumalux will be entering a 7-man team into the Tour de l'Avenir Under 23 race. In the past we have achieved a 2nd place there with Benat Intxausti, and team leader - the Italian Teodoro Costagli - has a chance of fighting for a podium position, although it will not be easy. Costagli, of course, is on loan to us this season from Wiggle - and finished his 2nd Giro d'Italia early this year - and joining him for a one-off occasion from Wiggle for this race are Italian Paolo Locatelli and Belgian Stagiare Julien Paquet. Frenchmen Marc Machado also makes a one-off apperance for us from Auber 93, alongside two riders from our U23 development squad: Italian Tulio Tenzon, and Luxembourg Bob Jungels.
While participating in this race, the team will be wearing a brand new jersey that will only be worn by the team at Avenir. White is often the colour most associated with young riders in the peloton, and as such, a large part of our usually red jersey had been changed to white.
Vesuvio, Accumalux confirms for next year, looks ahead to Worlds
Accumalux, the industrial company have today confirmed that they will continue to sponsor the team into 2012, in what will be their 5th year of partnership with the squad. The core Luxembourg selection of riders will continue to be a constant aspect of the team. Italian Volcano Mt. Vesuvius will also continue their sponsorship - thus the team will retain it's red jerseys.
The team is also looking forward to the World Championships. Frank Schleck will once again be amongst the favourites, after 4th, 2nd and 4th in recent years - can this year's Croatian championships be the year? David Claerebout, Nico Schinker, Ben Gastauer and Sebastian Einsle have all also been selected to support Frank in the road race, along with Vesuvio U23 riders Kim Michely and Yves Da Luz. Bacardi's Kim Kirchen is Luxembourg's 9th rider in the Road Race. Schleck will also ride both time trials - so as to get fully familiar with the course. Nick Clesen will be riding in the Team Time Trial only this year. Luxembourg came 14th in the Inaugural World TT last year.
Our current top ranking points scorer is Rigoberto Uran, and he will also be riding in all 3 races for Colombia. He will hope to lead the Colombian team in the Road Race, where he was 11th last year, but his main target is the time trial. He has shown his form there in Deutschland, and so a Top 10 ought to be well within reach - he is certainly likely to improve upon last year's 17th. Also selected for the time trial is Benat Intxausti. Having just missed out on the Top 10 for the last 2 years, he is desperate to also break the Top 10 for the first time. Overlooked for the Road Race, Benat will also be part of the Spanish TTT team though - who are hotly tipped to retain their Gold medal from last year.
Looking set to make his debut in this year's Elite World Time Trial is current Under 23 champion Marcel Kittel. Like Michael Ford, who rides for Australia, the hilly course is not an ideal route - but it will be valuable experience for future, flatter, affairs. These two plus Marcel Barth will ride in the TTT, while Maxim Iglinski is another to ride all 3 events. His average over recent years has been 50th in the RR, 37th in the TT - an average he would like to improve. Also, Tom Faiers will ride the RR.
Finally, Matea Kvasina. A great honour for him this year, the chance to ride in a World Championships in his home country of Croatia. He rides all 3 events for the first time.
