‘For them it is a last resort’
Gianni Savio is rolling the dice with his three new team Androni signees: José Rujano, Emanuele Sella and Crescenzo D’Amore. Today, they are discussing just how they are going to make the gamble pay the team’s camp in Italy.
“For them it is a last resort, at the Giro they [Rujano and Sella] can be a great couple,” Savio told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “But the most foolish and romantic gamble is the return of D’Amore.”
Italian second division team, Androni is meeting for a team camp in Arona, Italy, ahead of next season, where the focus will be the Giro d’Italia. At last year’s race, Michele Scarponi made the headlines for Savio by winning a stage and finishing fourth overall. Next year, though, he will race for Lampre.
“To be honest, all together, I consider this group stronger than the one in 2010,” added Savio. “Even if we don’t have a leader like Michele.”
Italian Emanuele Sella and José Rujano both took their biggest wins at the Giro d’Italia. Riding for Gianni Savio’s Selle Italia-Colombia, Rujano won the Sestriere stage, placed third overall and took the green jersey of best climber. The Sestriere stage with the gravel Finestre climb is back again next year and should increase the odds of Savio’s bet.
“Why should I believe that José will be a safe bet? Because I clearly said that this is his last resort,” said Savio. “He has always wanted to do things his way, but is a great talent, you just got to know him and follow him carefully.
“I believe in his new intentions. If you get back in the game with humility, over time you will reap the rewards.”
Sella, like Rujano, won green jersey of best climber. He took the jersey after winning three of the toughtest mountain stages in the 2008 race. A positive test for EPO only two months later, though, put a question mark on his results and forced him to serve a suspension.
“Even for Emanuele, this is a last resort. He made a mistake, paid, returned quietly and struggled, but is still working at it. I believe he can return to the top level as the climber, he only has to be well-advised.
“Could he and Rujano get in each others way at the Giro? It is always better to have plenty of problems than none at all. I am also thinking José Serpa, who can help those two. We also have Francesco Ginanni for the other stages.”
Crescenzo D’Amore will also race with Savio next season. He won the Junior World Championships in 1997, but has since struggled with crashes.
“Crescenzo D’Amore is the craziest bet, but also the most beautiful, most romantic.’I’m 31-year-old kid, who won the Juniors World in 1997 and have not raced for three seasons,'” continued Savio. “He went pro’ young with Mapei and that early debut may have hurt him. Then he had personal problems, physical problems, lack of motivation. When I heard from a dear friend that he wanted to try, I gave him a chance.
“He has already lost four kilograms in two months. He is determined. That is precisely the hallmark of Androni.”