Saunier Duval’s Riccardo Ricco’ for 2008 Tour de France

Already runner-up in the 2008 Giro d’Italia, Saunier Duval’s Riccardo Ricco’, the 24 year old rider who is emerging as the heir-apparent to Marco Pantani, has announced that he will start the 2008 Tour De France. With his SDV teammate Jos ?ngel G¢mez Marchante not able to start due to health problems, Saunier Duval-Scott brought Ricco’ and his Italian teammate and mentor, diminutive climber Leonardo Piepoli. This dynamic duo kept the Giro d’Italia alight until Piepoli crashed out in the Dolomites with three broken ribs and a broken hand.

“I’m relaxed going into this Tour”, explained Ricco’. “My season is already set (with 2nd in the Giro d’Italia); I didn’t achive my goal this time but I came close so I am satisfied”. Discussing his Tour De France goals, Ricco’ said “I’m not going to the Tour for the general classification, but the l’Alpe d’Huez stage, where Pantani won twice is interesting as is Stage 6 with the mountaintop finish.”

Ricco’ decided that the Tour might be interesting a few weeks after the Giro d’Italia speaking with Claudio Chiappucci and Roberto Pregnolato, his soigneur at Saunier Duval-Scott who also worked with Pantani. “Pregnolato told me that in 1998, Pantani only trained for one day before he started the Tour. I thought
of him and it’s a point of pride for me to ride the Tour.” In 2006 as a neo-pro, Ricco’ rode the Tour De France as a support rider for Gibo Simoni on Saunier Duval and went well the first 10 days, then cracked and lost time before coming back for the final stages. “The Tour was very tough that year but it was a positive experience; as I got stronger at the end of that Tour, that was when I realized that I could be a stage race rider”.

Ricco’ has prepared well for Sunday’s Italian championship. “I did a seven and a half hour ride over 215km, including the Passo delle Radici Passo San Pellegrino in Alpe with 3500 meters of climbing. It was a good training.” Next stop for the brash, talented Italian: Brest, France for the start of the 2008 Tour De France.Already runner-up in the 2008 Giro d’Italia, Saunier Duval’s Riccardo Ricco’, the 24 year old rider who is emerging as the heir-apparent to Marco Pantani, has announced that he will start the 2008 Tour De France. With his SDV teammate Jos ?ngel G¢mez Marchante not able to start due to health problems, Saunier Duval-Scott brought Ricco’ and his Italian teammate and mentor, diminutive climber Leonardo Piepoli. This dynamic duo kept the Giro d’Italia alight until Piepoli crashed out in the Dolomites with three broken ribs and a broken hand.

“I’m relaxed going into this Tour”, explained Ricco’. “My season is already set (with 2nd in the Giro d’Italia);
I didn’t achive my goal this time but I came close so I am satisfied”. Discussing his Tour De France goals,
Ricco’ said “I’m not going to the Tour for the general classification, but the l’Alpe d’Huez stage, where Pantani won twice is interesting as is Stage 6 with the mountaintop finish.”

Ricco’ decided that the Tour might be interesting a few weeks after the Giro d’Italia speaking with Claudio Chiappucci and Roberto Pregnolato, his soigneur at Saunier Duval-Scott who also worked with Pantani.
“Pregnolato told me that in 1998, Pantani only trained for one day before he started the Tour. I thought
of him and it’s a point of pride for me to ride the Tour.” In 2006 as a neo-pro, Ricco’ rode the Tour De
France as a support rider for Gibo Simoni on Saunier Duval and went well the first 10 days, then cracked and lost time before coming back for the final stages. “The Tour was very tough that year but it was a positive experience; as I got stronger at the end of that Tour, that was when I realized that I could be a stage race rider”.

Tim Maloney-European Editor