Basso To Lead Cannondale at Volta a Catalunya
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
peloton / Yuzuru Sunada
While Peter Sagan leads the Cannondale team in the Classics, Ivan Basso will continue to build his GC form at the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. This is the fifth race on the UCI World Tour circuit and the team’s first event in Spain. The Volta Ciclista a Catalunya runs from Monday, March 24, through Sunday March 30. For the Cannondale Pro Cycling team captain, Catalunya is an opportunity to work hard and seek strong results following Tirreno-Adriatico.
“In Italy I did my best, knowing that I needed to improve my condition to be really competitive,” said Basso. “The groundwork is laid, and the second step is to grow in terms of quality. Volta a Catalunya will be very useful for my goal of a great performance- I’ll be there to play my chances on the mountains and to seek the best result.”
New Zealander George Bennett, Colombian José Sarmiento, and Italian Cristiano Salerno will be the three climbers key to supporting Basso as they head into the mountains, while Italian teammate Daniele Ratto will focus on sprints and mixed stages. The rest of the team taking on the Volta a Catalunya includes Australian Cameron Wurf as well as Jean-Marc Marino of France, and Michel Koch of Germany.
After Catalunya, Basso, Bennett, and Wurf along with Matej Mohoric, Marco Marcato and Alessandro De Marchi will fly to the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands for a two week mountain training camp on Mount Teide.