Saunier Duval - Scott Team Launch Diary
11th - 14th January, 2008
by Ed Hood

In 2008, the Saunier Duval - Scott squad has changed a little from last season - the team is made up of 26 riders, and one of its distinctive features will be it's youth: there will be no less than nine men under 24 years of age, and thus the team will be the second youngest in the ProTour peloton. The second distinctive feature of the team this season will be improved training: two personal trainers have been hired: Sergio Gelati, who worked with the team in 2007, and José Antonio de Paz, a Professor at the Sport & Physical Activity School of the prestigious University of León. Ed travelled to Granada in Andalucia to meet the team and get behind the scenes...

Day 1 ; Day 2 : Day 3 : Day 4

Day 1 - Thursday 11th January, 2008

"Both my breasts ROTTED AWAY" screams the headline in the 'Chat' magazine the woman next to me is reading on the plane.

Cycling journalists have it tough. The worst we can say is; "Rasmussen sent home" or "Russell in trouble with cycling authorities, again."

Anyway, ¡Hola! from Granada. It's Saunier Duval training camp time again. Last year we were down on the coast at Estepona with David Millar, Iban Mayo and Gilberto Simoni; this year we're high up in Granada. Two of the three mentioned above have 'moved on up,' whilst old Iban is in "guilty or innocent limbo". Riccardo Ricco is the star attraction and Leonardo Piepoli probably has mountain stage win or two left in him.

The drive up from Malaga was uneventful, I said 'hello' to the Veterano bull and headed inland.

My eyes, used to the eternal grey gloom of a Kirkcaldy winter, had to be protected by shades; the sun just seemed so bright.

Granada sits high-up, the dual carriageway twists and climbs out of Malaga before settling into a rolling rhythm through the hills, neat rows of olive trees stretch as far as the eye can see and the car computer said 14 degrees, a tad warmer than back in wind blown and semi-submerged Scotia.

I stopped at services on the outskirts of Granada, grabbed a café con leche, bought a map and within 15 minutes, I was at the hotel M. A. Nazaries.

As five star hotels with central atriums and roof-top Jacuzzis go, it's nothing special. Mrs. McGlumpher's B & B at Girvan this April just won't be like this, I know it.

Saunier are here in full effect - both the team trucks are here, and a wheen of cars but not the bus.

The first face I recognised was Riccardo Ricco's, he's had a great season, top and tailed by being 'in at the kill' at San Remo and Lombardy. As with so many riders, off the bike he doesn't merit a second glance - that was one thing about Cipollini, he had an aura and it was obvious he was special.

Riccardo Ricco inspecting his new steed - he likes it.

Riccardo just merges-in to the background; he's not anonymous on the bike though and his attacking style will win him plenty of fans.

Roberto the mechanic remembered me from last year and has the pictures I emailed him last year stashed in his ruck sack.

The bikes are still Scotts, but with a new colour scheme and a 'fly-thru' seat tube - as first used by Carlton in the early 70's. I must launch an extensive reenge thru the archive and find pictures of that.

The groupset is the new SRAM 'Red' - it looks very striking. I was impressed with the "double tap" shifters on the 'Force' groupset last year at Estepona, but I heard murmers that they weren't as positive as some of the riders would like.

I'm hoping to spend time with the Scott and SRAM technical guys who are here and bug them them lots of anorak-type questions. I also hope to talk to Mauro Gianetti about loosing Millar, the Mayo affair and his goals for the squad for 2008.

We hope you like the pics, there'll be more over the next three days as we try and give you a look behind the scenes of a top ProTour team.

As we say in Dysart; via con Dios.

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Day 2 - Friday 12th January, 2008

¡Hola! When Matxin, the DS at Saunier says; "six hours today", that's what he means. In fact it was six-and-a-quarter hours after we left the hotel when we returned to Granada.

Team Managers Sabino Angoitia (L) and Joxean Fernandez Matxin, Ed's pals for the day.

The day is up Pez here, but once again it showed what's involved in being a pro and also what it means to be a top pro.

The first part of the ride was steady-enough and the early climbs wide and fast, but when the climbing 'got serious', that's when it became apparent that even at this level, there are yawning gaps in ability.

The riders stop to fuel up and put more clothes on. It's very cold!

Viktor might not like him, and whilst Leonardo Piepoli is a tiny guy and may have trouble staying with 'kermesse King' Guy Smet on a flat road, stick him in terrain like this and he's special. He makes it look easy, and even when the road flattens-out, he's there hammering away at the front.
In fact, at one stage today, Matxin had to tell him to come off the head of the group and let others do some work.

Ricco looked impressive early-on, but by the end of the ride was happy not to be at the front.

The squad has lost Millar and Simoni and I've not sussed-out the party-line on old Iban yet, but it's obvious that Piepoli has at least one more season at the highest level before he retires or goes down to a continental team. If Ricco's upward trajectory continues, then he'll be a big star - there's work to do before the Primavera though, Riccardo.

The other thing I was reminded of today, was that team car drivers follow a different set of rules to the rest of us, even when the police are around, Matxin drives it 'his way!'

Basque rider Iker Camaño Ortuzar followed Iban Mayo from Euskaltel to Saunier Duval.

He's a good guy, but broaches no nonsense, when he was displeased with the way that Ricco and Piepoli split things on a descent, there was no holding-back at the bum kicking, despite the fact that these are two of the sport's biggest stars. It's not often Piepoli is quietened, but he was today.

The weather here is very changeable, misty in the morning, lovely at the first 'pit stop', but freezing at the second stop of the day.

Once you are clear of the city, the roads are quiet and up in the hills there's virtually no traffic, great training country.

I managed five minutes with the guy from SRAM this morning, he and his team were leaving today so I just grabbed my moment, again that should be up on Pez soon and we have a feature on the new SRAM 'Red' groupset here, thanks to the kind offices of Alistair Hamilton. It does look the business though and I was really impressed with the 'double tap' shifting last year; this year it's meant to be even better.

Another wee job I had today was to take pictures of former Tour de France yellow jersey, Rubens Bertogliati - he has a fan in Switzerland and she is always sending us emails at Pez for "photos of Ruben', I got her some today, so at least someone will be happy.

A lovely picture of Rubens Bertogliati. Ya happy now Anna?

Off down to the lobby to see if I can organise some interviews... as we say in Pezspeak: "later, dude!"

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Day 3- Saturday 13th January, 2008

¡Hola! (You can tell Martin's been coaching me - upside-down exclamation at the start there).

Saturday, and it's official launch day. The TV cameras are gathering, the cars are being polished and the riders are playing musical clothing with one-another: the full delivery of kit hasn't arrived from Castelli yet. On the big run yesterday there were still plenty of "Prodir" logos, despite the fact that the Swiss pen manufacturers are no longer a sponsor. So, it's not just those British clothing suppliers who get the deliveries wrong.

Piepoli wonders who to wind up today.

I've been busy with the interviews - Virginie Ducrot, the Saunier PR girl; her husband and vice president of team frame suppliers, Scott and team boss, Mauro Gianetti.

Virginie Ducrot-Geinoz, with little Emmylou.

Virginie has her baby with her, she seems very relaxed but she always remembers everyone's name - and to arrange that interview for you.

A young Pascal Ducrot.

Pascal was a pro until 1990 when a bad crash in the last couple of kilometres of Het Volk poked two bones out through the flesh of his arm. He's really into his job and despite the fact that his private, leisure and business lives are all intertwined, he never gets tired of talking about bikes.

Mauro early in his career.

Mauro was a pro for 17 years and has wins in Liege-Bastogne-Liege and the Amstel Gold to his credit. He always has time for you, despite the fact that he's the man behind this giant undertaking. These interviews should all appear on Pez at some stage.

I was out taking more pictures of the bikes this morning, to support the Pascal interview and also the SRAM interview I did; the Scotts really are crackers.

The all-black look of last year was getting a tad tired and the new colour scheme is of 'now' as is the SRAM groupset.

They've been very bold with the graphics and it works well in my opinion, the SRAM logo behind the left hand crank is loud, but I like it.

It's 9.00 pm - where did the day go?

After my morning pics and interviews, I was writing and emailing photos, up until the afternoon, outdoor photo sesh.

Smiling for the "battledress" shots...

There were two lots of shots; in "civilian" clothes and in "battle dress". Then there were shots in the hotel lobby and individual shots.

...and for the civvies shots.

Some of the guys had to wear 'Medilast' socks for the shots, these are like the socks you wear on a plane to stop deep vein thrombosis or ladies wear after they have given birth - the theory is that they aid recovery after training too. Don't start - I'm just repeating what I was told by the sponsors!

'Medilast' socks - not the best look, but if they work...

It was 'hang about until the big presentation time' after that. It was meant to start at 6.00, but this is Spain and it started - eventually. Like Virginie said; "just one time I would like to have a presentation in Switzerland, so it would run on time!" That full story will be on Pez in the next few days.

I'm writing this on the BlackBerry as I email pics from the PC, it's a solid connection but not the fastest, so there's time to tap-away between batches.

Riccardo Ricco, preparing for a 6 hour ride.

I was meant to have an interview with Riccardo Ricco after the schmoozing - but he vanished. Virginie says she'll track him down for me and we can do it at dinner, we'll see...

...Well, I met the 'great man,' he looks about 12 and if he fails as a cyclist (unlikely, I know) he's certainly not going to make it on the 'X-Factor' - "you'll need to work on that personality son, and loose the sneer!"

Enough said, he's an attacking rider and we need more of those, so I'll take the blame for the lack-lustre interview. At least I sussed why he's called 'The Cobra' - there's an obvious answer, but we'll avoid it!

Emailing again, I need shots to support all these words, an article on the internet with no pics is no use to man nor beast.

One more batch and 'I'm done' as we say in Pezspeak. 'Later, dudes !' (sorry).

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Day 4- Sunday 14th January, 2008

I didn't sleep too clever last night (Saturday). I think the café con leche I had just before the presentation had enough caffeine in it to keep even Gianni Bugno happy.

The team and personnel all headed off today (Sunday): Virginie and Pascal back to Switzerland; Denis Flahaut rides the Tour Down Under; whilst Leoanrdo Piepoli goes to Argentina.

Mauro was on a plane this morning before anyone knew, and was away - the next deal, the next meeting?

It took me until around 3.00 pm on Sunday to write-up all of yesterday's work and get all the emails away. There's are always little additional things you have to do - in the piece about the launch, I specifically refered to a couple of riders who I didn't have individual photographs of.

With a big-budget website, whoever is putting the piece up, would go to their archives or one of the photo agencies like Cor Vos or Bettini and get the relevant pics. At our level though, it's down to me to dig up the pics from one of my sources and email them to Jered at Pez.

He's our 'net wizard who designs the layouts and puts most of the words and pictures up. Richard Pestes (old Pez himself) at this time of year is more concerned with the commercial side of the site - making sure we have the advertisers in-place to keep the dosh coming-in.

Once I was happy that I was 'done,' as the Americans say, I headed off to the Alhambra.

Unfortunately, all the wonderful interiors were "out of bounds" today, the armed police on patrol meant that no one questioned this state of affairs.
The buildings and location are stunning, high on a rocky promintory above the city of Granada, built by the Moors (Arabs) around 900 years ago, when they ruled Spain.

There was some sort of ceremony going-on with a dozen-or-so folks dressed-up as 'Moors' - I'm not sure if The Moors had Nokias, digital cameras and smoked Ducados, though.

Like a lot of European cities (Edinburgh and Glasgow included) there are huge, grotty, medium and high-rise housing estates all round the perimeter of Granada, the old city centre is different.

Little squares with fountains, and trees full of song birds; tiny alleys with arab guys pedalling their wares, old cafés and bars, well-dressed Spanish couples out for their evening promenade - a place to spend time and explore, where you can wrap-up and sit outside with your beer and watch the world go-by.

I tracked-down the Hotel Reina Cristina, where the poet and playwrite, Lorca spent his last days before the Fascists hauled him off to his death during the Spanish Civil War. The hotel is not that much different to how it was back in the 30's and the bar serves great tapas and beer at prices which remind you how cheap Spain is compared to Scotland. Three euros for a coffee would start another Civil War here.

If I had been in company and on holiday, I would probably still be scraping-about the back alleys of Granada just now, but when the job's finished, I don't really have the head for that; the adrenaline's all gone and it's time to go home.

Monday - Pablo Ruiz Picasso air terminal, Malaga. The little Peugeot has gone back to Hertz and I'm waiting on the check-in opening.

Reality beckons - rain, wind, expensive prices and the inevitable - "You were workin'? aye right! I'll bet you got some drink down you when you were out there!"

Still, soon be Het Volk!

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