CHANGE IN DATE MADE IT HARD FOR US: SAVIO
11/02/2010

KUALA LUMPUR - Gianni Savio, the well-respected manager of team Androni–Diquigiovanni has expressed his disappointment in not being able to participate in this year’s Le Tour de Langkawi 2010.

In a statement released out of the team’s office in Torino, Savio said that the main reason why his team will not be taking part this year was due to the change in date.

“The problem is that the new organization has changed the race date which is usually held in February in the past to 1st to 7th March - which is just two days before the Tirreno-Adriatico, the most important race in Italy after the Giro d'Italia. A world calendar race that we won last year with our leader Michele Scarponi,” said the always affable Savio.

“I am really sorry that the team will not to be able to participate in Le Tour de Langkawi because I like Malaysia very much and Le Tour de Langkawi has always been good to our team where we had always been a protagonist in the past. “

“Last year, we established another record by winning the Overall Individual Classification through Josè Serpa, the Overall Team Classification, the King of Mountains, also with Serpa and the Point Classification with Mattia Gavazzi. We also won five stages.”

“Last month, I came back from Argentina where we won four stages in Tour de San Luis - two with Alberto Loddo, one with Jackson Rodriguez and one with Luis Mate. We also won the Overall Team Classification and the second place with Josè Serpa in the Overall Individual Classification which was won by Vincenzo Nibali.”

“So we have begun the new season very well. It is always my philosophy to participate any race that we take part in with the best team so as to honour the race. I hope that next year Le Tour de Langkawi will return to the native date in February.”

Among the riders who made the headlines in LTDL were Hernan Dario Munoz, Jose Serpa, Ruslan Ivanov, Walter Pedraza, Alberto Loddo, Marlon Perez, Jose Rujano, Freddy Gonzalez, Ruber Marin, Fortunato Baliani, Wladimir Belli and Jamie Drew, who gave Savio’s team their first victory in Stage 2 LTDL 2000 in Setiawan.

The 15th edition of the UCI (Hors Category) stage race will take place from Kota Bharu - Kuala Berang (174.5km); Kuala Terengganu - Chukai (182.3km); Pekan - Mersing (145.6km); Mersin-Parit Sulong (163.5km); Muar - Port Dickson (116.9km) Putrajaya - Genting Highlands (102.8km) and Kuala Kubu Baru - Dataran Merdeka (133.7km), covering a total distance of 1019.3km.

A total of 120 riders from 20 teams including two local teams are expected to take part in the event, Le Tour de Langkawi 2010.

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