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CSC names Vande Velde and Zabriskie to Giro squad

Published: May. 1, 2005

David Zabriskie and Christian Vande Velde will be spending much of May plying the roads of Italy after being selected as part of the nine-man Team CSC squad for the upcoming Giro d’Italia.

The two Americans will be riding in support of Team CSC captain Ivan Basso in the hunt for the maglia rosa in the season’s first three-week tour which kicks off with a short prologue May 7 in Reggio Calabria. It will be the first Giro for both riders.

“I think we have a strong team and I know for sure that all our riders are extremely motivated to go all out for Ivan,” said Team CSC boss Bjarne Riis. “No doubt the competition in the Giro will be tough, but we are well-prepared and everyone knows their role in this team.”

Both Zabriskie and Vande Velde are coming off strong performances in the Tour de Georgia and will play a key role in support Basso in what’s sure to be an exciting match-up against defending champion Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Caffita) and the top Italian stars.

The pair joined Team CSC in the off-season, with Zabriskie leaving U.S. Postal Service after coming off a strong autumn that included a stage win in the Vuelta a España and fifth in the road world championships while Vande Velde returned to the Tour de France last year with Liberty Seguros.

“Ivan is a great leader. He’s a really nice guy and that makes you even more motivated to ride for him,” Vande Velde said earlier this season. “My first goal is to have a great Giro. I just want to start riding the way I know I can ride, ride great for the team and ride great in the Giro.”

Rounding out the team will be young Dane Brian Vandborg, a winner of a stage at the Tour de Georgia, Michael Blaudzun (Denmark), Giovanni Lombardi (Italy), Peter Luttenberger (Austria), Andrea Peron (Italy) and Fränk Schleck (Luxemburg).Vandborg got the tip ahead of Jakob Piil, who is continuing to struggle with injuries earlier this season.

“I’m not ready to take any risks with Jakob regarding the Tour de France,” Riis explained. “In the Tour he is a very important part of the team, and by selecting him to the Giro in his current shape, his chances of being on form for the Tour are not good. We also need riders who are 100 percent fit and ready to help Ivan win the Giro.”

Team CSC for Giro d’Italia (May 7-29)
Ivan Basso (I)
Giovanni Lombardi (I)
Andrea Peron (I)
Brian Vandborg (Dk)
Michael Blaudzun (Dk), Peter Luttenberger (A)
Fränk Schleck (Lux)
David Zabriskie (USA)
Christian Vande Velde (USA)