Footon-Servetto counting on Cardoso to shine
06/02/2010, NST

SPANISH outfit Footon-Servetto, previously known as Fuji-Servetto, will make their second appearance in the 15th Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) on March 1-7.

The Pro Tour team, managed by Mario Gianetti, will be fronted by Manuel Cardoso, winner of the 2009 Portuguese national road race who has just joined the team.

Footon-Servetto have high hopes for 27-year-old Cardoso as he had seven victories while riding last year for the Liberty Seguros team who were disbanded before the end of 2009.

Cardoso started this year with his first Pro Tour victory, winning Stage Three of the Tour Down Under from Unley to Stirling (132km).

Even though Cardoso was competing against big names like Cadel Evans and Alejandro Valverde, he rode brilliantly in the last kilometre and arrived at the uphill finish for the Pro Tour success.

Cardoso, who began his professional career with team Carvalhelhos-Boavista in 2006, had several stage victories in the Volta a Portugal, Volta ao Algarve and Circuit du Lorraine.

Besides Cardoso, the Footon-Servetto line-up includes Matthias Brandle and Markus Eibegger from Austria, Pedro Merino and Rafael Valls from Spain and Johnnie Walker (Australia).

Cardoso is expected to ride with Valls, an expert climber who gave Footon-Servetto their first victory of 2010 when he won Stage 2 and was third overall in the general classification of the Tour de San Luis in Argentina, on Jan 19.

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