The Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team roster for Tour de San Luis was announced this morning. Tom Boonen (BEL), Sylvain Chavanel (FRA), Francesco Chicchi (ITA), Bert Grabsch (GER), Levi Leipheimer (USA), and Frantisek Rabon (CZE) will wear the team colors during the stage race in Argentina. Davide Bramati will direct the team, and had much to say about the team arrival in Argentina from Paris, and the upcoming stage race. "Overall the trip went well," explained Bramati. "We're facing 7 stages for a total of 1,051 km, 19.5 of which will be time trials."
The stages are:
23.01.12 Stage 1 San Luis - Villa Mercedes 189.3 km
24.01.12 Stage 2 Fraga - Juana Koslay 145.3 km
25.01.12 Stage 3 Estancia Grande - Mirador del Potrero 168.2 km
26.01.12 Stage 4 San Luis - San Luis 19.5 km (ITT)
27.01.12 Stage 5 La Toma - Merlo (Mirador del Sol) 160.6 km
28.01.12 Stage 6 Luján - Quines 201.0 km
29.01.12 Stage 7 San Luis - San Luis 167.1 km
"The squad is in good shape and can defend itself on any terrain," Bramati said. "For the sprints we can count on the skills of Boonen and Chicchi while for the more challenging stages the team will pull together around Levi Leipheimer, who could also do well in the 4th time trial stage with Bert Grabsch. The route is demanding and the starting line up is world class. However, we are ready to take on the race. Our goal is to capture a stage and to figure well in the general classification."
