Moser and Caruso add strength to Cannondale’s line-up, lack of racing introduces uncertainty
Having dominated two stages of the Tour of Oman but then withdrawing from the race due to bronchitis, Peter Sagan is feeling better and ready to try to win Saturday’s Strade Bianche single day semi-Classic.
The prodigious 23 year old is regarded as a rider who could go on to dominate the sport, having already taken many big successes despite his youth. Last year he won three stages plus the green jersey in his first Tour de France, and also took five stages in the Tour of California, three in the Tour de Suisse, stages in the Tour of Oman, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Three Days of De Panne plus the national road race championship.
He also edged closer towards his first major Classic victory, netting second in Gent-Wevelgem, third in the Amstel Gold Race, fourth in Milan-Sanremo and fifth in the Tour of Flanders.
Now, a year older and more experienced, he’s heading towards Milan-Sanremo fixated on winning the race. Before then, the Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico are his next appointments and he’s pleased to be feeling in better health as they approach.
Sagan returns to competition in tomorrow’s 183 kilometre Grand Prix of Camaiore in Tuscany. He seeks to play down his chances somewhat, but his rivals will watch him closely regardless. “My throat is no longer sore and I am glad to say that I’ve recovered,” the Slovakian said. “But I don’t know how competitive I can be. I had rest to recover in the best way then I started to train gradually.
“Camaiore is a hard race and my first goal is to regain confidence. This way I can judge how I feel before the Strade Bianche and Tirreno-Adriatico.”
Sagan will be joined in the race by Moreno Moser, Damiano Caruso, Stefano Agostini, Federico Canuti, Alessandro De Marchi, Daniele Ratto and Brian Vandborg.
Moser and Caruso will also be protected riders on the Cannondale Pro Cycling team and are making their season debuts after the cancellation of last Sunday’s weather-affected GP de Lugano. They ended a fifteen day period of altitude training on February 21st and are seeking to ride well.
According to directeur sportif Dario Mariuzzo, the disruption to each rider’s programme introduces an element of uncertainty, although he also feels that they could, on paper at least, do very well in the race.
“We have important riders with characteristics suited for Camaiore’s route,” explained Mariuzzo. “What we don’t know is how competitive Sagan, Moser and Caruso can be. Their lack of racing could be decisive in the final phases of the race: we will do our best to arrive at the moment and be able to play our cards.”