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Armstrong sì, Riccò no for Milan-San Remo

by Andrew Hood

• February 09, 2010
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There are a lot of big names expected for the 101st edition of Milan-San Remo next month, but Riccardo Riccò isn’t among them.

Race organizers of the season’s first classic left the controversial Italian rider’s team – Ceramica Flaminia – off its list of invited teams to Milan-San Remo set for March 20. The Italian continental team was also left off lists for Montepaschi Strade Bianchi (March 6) and Tirreno-Adriatico (March 10-16).

Riccò’s racing ban for getting busted for CERA during the 2008 Tour de France ends March 17, just days before Milan-San Remo, but “the Cobra” will be left on the sidelines on the season’s first big monument.

Defending champion Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) probably won’t mind. The British rider called Riccò a “parasite” and openly questioned his return to the sport.

The only other major team sidelined was Spain’s ProTour team, Footon-Servetto. Otherwise, all the other major ProTour and Italian teams were included in the 25-team field for San Remo.

Lance Armstrong is expected to start for RadioShack, but the team wasn’t included among 22 squads for Tirreno-Adriatico, the week-long stage race that’s a favorite for many of the San Remo candidates. Armstrong raced Milan-San Remo last year in his comeback season, for the first time since 2002, and finished 125th.

Montepaschi Strade Bianche Toscana

March 6th 2010, teams: 15

ACQUA & SAPONE-MOKAMBO (IT): Garzelli, Paolini

AG2R LA MONDIALE (FR): Efimkin

ANDRONI-DIQUIGIOVANNI (IT): Ginanni

ASTANA (KZ): Vinokourov

BMC (US): Evans, Ballan

CERVELO TEST TEAM (CH): Hammond

GARMIN-TRANSITION (US): Hesjedal

ISD-NERI (IT): Visconti

LAMPRE-FARNESE VINI (IT): Bernucci, Gavazzi

LIQUIGAS-DOIMO (IT): Pellizotti

OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO (BE): Peraud

SKY PROFESSIONAL CT (UK): Lofkvist

TEAM HTC-COLUMBIA (US): Cavendish, Pinotti

TEAM KATUSHA (RU): Pozzato, Kirchen

TEAM SAXO BANK (DK): Cancellara

Tirren0-Adriatico

March 10th to 16th 2010, teams: 22

ACQUA & SAPONE-MOKAMBO (IT): Garzelli, Paolini

AG2R LA MONDIALE (FR): Efimkin, Elmiger

ANDRONI-DIQUIGIOVANNI (IT): Scarponi, Ginanni

ASTANA (KZ): Vinokourov

BMC (US): Evans, Ballan

CAISSE D’EPARGNE (ES): Uran, Bruseghin

CERVELO TEST TEAM (CH): Hammond, Huschovd

COLNAGO-CSF INOX (IE): Gavazzi

EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI (ES): Samuel Sanchez

FRANCAISE DES JEUX (FR): Guesdon, Roux

GARMIN-TRANSITION (US): Farrar, Hesjedal

ISD-NERI (IT): Visconti

LAMPRE-FARNESE VINI (IT): Petacchi, Bernucci, Hondo

LIQUIGAS-DOIMO (IT): Nibali, Pellizotti, Bennati

OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO (BE): Peraud

QUICK STEP (BE): Boonen

RABOBANK (NL): Freire, Gesink

SKY PROFESSIONAL CT (UK): Boasson Hagen, Lofkvist

TEAM HTC-COLUMBIA (US): Cavendish, Pinotti, Rogers

TEAM KATUSHA (RU): Pozzato, Kirchen

TEAM MILRAM (DE): Gerdemann, Ciolek

TEAM SAXO BANK (DK): Cancellara, Andy Schelck

Milan-San Remo

March 20th 2010, teams: 25

ACQUA & SAPONE-MOKAMBO (IT): Garzelli, Paolini

AG2R LA MONDIALE (FR): Efimkin, Nocentini

ANDRONI-DIQUIGIOVANNI (IT): Scarponi, Ginanni

ASTANA (KZ): Vinokourov

BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM (FR): Arashiro

BMC (US): Ballan

CAISSE D’EPARGNE (ES): Uran, Bruseghin

CARMIOORO-NGC (UK): Ventoso

CERVELO TEST TEAM (CH): Hammond, Hushovd

COLNAGO-CSF INOX (IE): Gavazzi

EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI (ES): Samuel Sanchez

FRANCAISE DES JEUX (FR): Guesdon, Roux, Le Mevel

GARMIN-TRANSITION (US): Farrar, Maaskant

ISD-NERI (IT): Visconti

LAMPRE-FARNESE VINI (IT): Petacchi, Cunego

LIQUIGAS-DOIMO (IT): Nibali, Pellizotti, Bennati

OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO (BE): Gilbert

QUICK STEP (BE): Boonen

RABOBANK (NL): Freire, Boom

SKY PROFESSIONAL CT (UK): Boasson Hagen, Flecha, Lofkvist

TEAM HTC-COLUMBIA (US): Cavendish

TEAM KATUSHA (RU): Pozzato

TEAM MILRAM (DE): Gerdemann, Ciolek

TEAM RADIOSHACK (US): Armstrong

TEAM SAXO BANK (DK): Cancellara, Frank Schleck, Andy Schleck