Newcomers NGC Medical relying
on experience
30/1/2008
KUALA LUMPUR – NGC Medical-OTC
Industria Porte might be new in the cycling fraternity but the
Swiss-registered team will not lack experience when they open
their maiden campaign in Le Tour de Langkawi 2008 on Feb 9-17.
With five Italian riders in their team alongside
one Swiss, the European outfit will be looking to create a big
impact in the annual cycling race series after their enthusiastic
preparation for the new season.
And with the experience of having raced
in Asia before, 25-year-old Enrico Rossi will be relied on to
carry the challenge for NGC Medical in the sprint while Massimiliano
Maisto will be looked at to provide much of the thrust in the
climb up Fraser’s Hill.
Rossi, who had previously don OTC Doors-Lauretana
colours, had won Stage Five in the Tour of Slovenia (status 2.1)
and was third in Stage Nine of the Tour of Qinghai Lake in China
on July 22 last year.
Maisto was seventh overall in the Tour of Slovenia and ninth in
the General Classification in the Rheinland-Pfalz Rundfahrt (status
2.1) last May.
The other riders in the team are Marco Catteneo, Marco Corsini
and Diego Nosotti while the lone rider from Switzerland is Stefan
Trafelet.
"There’s a feeling that Le Tour de Langkawi will be
a little easier due to the absence of the climb up Genting Highlands.
But with the presence of several teams from the ProTour, professional
teams from Europe and also from the other continents, it will
make the race a lot harder,” stated NGC Medical-OTC Industria
Porte in an official release.
"The ProTour teams (Credit Agricole,
Ag2R and Bouygues Telekom) will still be the favourites but we
have the desire to make a strong impression even though this will
be our first Le Tour de Langkawi.”
Cattaneo at 25-years-old, had previously
ridden for team Pagnoncelli NGC Perrel; Corsini, 26, was from
Team Tenax; Nosotti, 27, was from Selle Italia while Trafelet
was a former Under-23 rider for Switzerland and who had also rode
for team VC Mendrisio.
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