According to Velonews, Cannondale will sponser Liquigas for 2007 but I
have yet to confirm this otherwise. I still see Bianchi as there bike.
Nothing is said on Cannondale's or TeamLiquigas web site. Anyone know
if this is true?
Cheers,
Rick in Tennessee
Quoted message said:From VeloNews web site:
Press Release: Liquigas Chooses Cannondale for 2007
By Press Release - Cannondale
This report filed October 12, 2006
Liquigas Chooses Cannondale for 2007 and Beyond
BETHEL, CT USA OCT 11, 2006- Liquigas Pro Tour Cycling Team, including
Cannondale alumni and winner of the inaugural Pro Tour Danilo Di Luca,
has chosen Cannondale bicycles as technical bicycle sponsor in a
multi-year partnership beginning in 2007. The agreement secures a
long-term partnership with the high profile and highly sought-after
world class Liquigas team. Both parties are enthusiastic about the
spirit of partnership and the many important victories to come.
"Liquigas has the breadth of talent to showcase and win with world
class athletes and a strong vision for the future," said Matt Mannelly,
Cannondale President and CEO. "A key aspect of the sponsorship is the
integration of the team into the Cannondale Product Creation Process.
Everything we create hinges on input from riders at the highest level.
We look forward to collaborating with Liquigas to fuel our engineers
towards continued innovation," Mannelly continues.
Both Di Luca and Paris Roubaix winner, Swedish powerhouse, Magnus
Backstedt, will begin their next season on-board Cannondale's
SystemSix, which recently topped the charts in Germany's Tour Magazine
benchmark performance tests. Its lightweight construction and explosive
stiffness make it the ideal platform for one-day powerhouses and
climbers alike.
"These decisions are made as a team," said Liquigas Managing Director
Roberto Amadio. "Several members of our team such as Di Luca,
Bertagnolli, Spezialetti and Roberto Petito have raced and won on
Cannondale in the past-and in the end it comes down to product
performance. Our success hinges on aligning ourselves with the best
partners. We believe that Cannondale is at the forefront of bicycle
innovation."
Liquigas was the best choice for Cannondale. "This was a very important
decision for us." says Mannelly. "We've been approached by a number of
teams and we had the best chemistry with Liquigas-it's a true
partnership built on performance and winning at the highest level."
Team Liquigas is the crown jewel in Cannondale's show of force on the
road in 2007. With the successful Continental Team Barloworld and 3
time NRC Champion Health Net riding Cannondale, the addition of Team
Liquigas ensures that Cannondale-sponsored racers will top podiums
worldwide in 2007 and beyond.