2012 Giro Wildcards

Doobz

Seems today is the day its getting announced. Will be interesting to see who gets invited..

blazing_saddles

Indeed, today is the day.
4 from these 14:
ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI (ITA)
ACQUA & SAPONE (ITA)
CHAMPION SYSTEM CYCLING TEAM (CHN)
COLNAGO-CSF INOX (IRL)
COLOMBIA-COLDEPORTES (COL)
FARNESE VINI (GBR)
LANDBOUWKREDIET (BEL)
PROJECT 1T4I (NED)
RUSVELO (RUS)
SAUR SOYASUN (FRA)
TEAM EUROPCAR (FRA)
TEAM NETAPP (GER)
TEAM TYPE 1-SANOFI (USA)
UTELSILNORD NAMED (IRL)

cal_stewart

ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI (ITA)
ACQUA & SAPONE (ITA)
FARNESE VINI (GBR)
COLNAGO-CSF INOX (IRL)

me thinks. Two great British and Irish teams

shinyhelmut

Cal_Stewart wrote:

ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI (ITA)
ACQUA & SAPONE (ITA)
FARNESE VINI (GBR)
COLNAGO-CSF INOX (IRL)

me thinks. Two great British and Irish teams

And there was me thinking they'd favour Italian teams.

Doobz

Androni Giocattoli (ITA)
Colnago – CSF Inox (IRL)
Farnese Vini (GBR)
Team NetApp (Ger)

get the 4 remaining wildcards for Giro

shinyhelmut

It seems someone is ill-informed.

shinyhelmut

cyclingnews agrees with Doobz;

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2012-giro-ditalia-wildcards-named

blazing_saddles

So, no Di Luca or Garzelli, or the Columbians.

napoleond

Oooof. That'll hurt Acqua.

Doobz

Blazing Saddles wrote:

So, no Di Luca or Garzelli, or the Columbians.

I would say having Di-Luca has ruined it for Acqua e Sapone

takethehighroad

Isn't the German invite something to do with becoming global

sonny73

The NetApp boss is a shocked as I'm sure Acqua e Sapone are: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/10842/Team-NetApp-speechless-over-Giro-dItalia-wildcard.aspx
Good luck to them, nice to see someone new given the opportunity to ride.

Tom Butcher

Got to be aimed at appealing to the German market hasn't it - looked at their squad and they aren't exactly household names - still perhaps good that hiring some big names with dodgy pasts and well past their best isn't an automatic ticket to a Grand Tour.

Doobz

While were on the Wildcards Lets not forget some other races..

2012 Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-Sanremo, Il Lombarida Wild Card Selections
The wild card teamns for the 2012 editions of Tirreno-Adriatico, Milan-Sanremo, and Il Lombardia have also been announced today as follows

Tirreno – Adriatico, 7-13 March:
Acqua & Sapone (ITA)
Colnago – CSF Inox (IRL)
Colombia – Coldeportes (COL)
Farnese Vini (GBR)


Milano – Sanremo, 17 March:
Acqua & Sapone (ITA)
Colnago – CSF Inox (IRL)
Colombia – Coldeportes (COL)
Farnese Vini (GBR)
Project 1t4I (NED)
Team Type 1 – Sanofi (USA)
Utensilnord Named (IRL)


Il Lombardia, 29 September:
Acqua & Sapone (ITA)
Androni Giocattoli (ITA)
Colnago – CSF Inox (IRL)
Colombia – Coldeportes (COL)
Farnese Vini (GBR)
Project 1t4I (NED)
Utensilnord Named (IRL)

Notably, Acqua & Sapone was selected for these three races but not for the Giro d'Italia. The decision leaves Stefano Garzelli, a popular rider, Giro winner, and two time green jersey winner, out of the Giro.

iainf72

Tom Butcher wrote:

Got to be aimed at appealing to the German market hasn't it - looked at their squad and they aren't exactly household names - still perhaps good that hiring some big names with dodgy pasts and well past their best isn't an automatic ticket to a Grand Tour.

I think having a big American sponsor didn't do them any harm either.