The Volta ao Algarve will be the first test for the Sporting/Tavira cycling team and the «anxiety is a lot» to start the season. Sporting director Vidal Fitas says that the team is doing well physically, but that the Algarve competition “is the most difficult to approach because we have all the doubts”.
Vidal Fitas spoke to journalists at the end of a day when the Sporting/Tavira team went out on the road to train, with the right to pass through the top of Malhão. In addition to the preview of the Volta ao Algarve, the sports director spoke about the new project, which combines Sporting with the Tavira Cycling Club, and admits that the Leo symbol brings more responsibility.
“The goals have not changed. Fortunately, Tavira's cycling team has been fighting for Voltas a Portugal, and has won them 4 times, it's not that scary. But in fact [Sporting] brings a different dimension to things, we have to be realistic. At other times, you [journalists] wouldn't be here and now they are, and it's not because of my pretty face, it's because an institution is behind, one of the largest in the country, and which brings another dimension and responsibility. But, in relation to the objectives, we are used to fighting for them, we don't find them strange», considered Vidal Fitas.
Sporting's arrival in Tavira cycling is welcome for the sporting director who is not afraid of losing the identity of a historic club in the national squad. “I think the club does not lose its identity. It is evident that the Sporting brand is very strong and it is not our objective for the Tavira Cycling Club to lose its identity. In fact, I hope the partnership will last for many years. The history of the Tavira Cycling Club is enriched and of Sporting too».
About the Volta ao Algarve, Vidal Fitas says that the team will leave with the «philosophy of those who are going to win the competition», but he expects difficulties. In addition to being “the most difficult race of the year to tackle, because we have all the doubts”, the peloton will be filled with “stars”.
«Of the top 50 [of cyclists], there are 30 in the Volta ao Algarve and, of the 30, there are 10 that have already won races this year. There is a team that, in a month, won ten races and I, perhaps, will not win, in the whole year, ten races. This is just to see who we're going to fight,” he explained.
In the Sporting/Tavira squad there is also a “star”, who has a 12th place in the Tour de France in the curriculum, in a year (2009) in which he wore the yellow jersey for eight stages: Rinaldo Nocentini.
The Sporting/Tavira leader, now 38, is the greatest hope for a victory in the Volta a Portugal, one of the team's goals for this year, reinforced with the partnership with the Alvalade club.
"Volta a Portugal always brings responsibility to all teams and, with a brand like Sporting behind, the number of supporters is greater, the focus is greater, and they won't ask us for anything other than fighting for victory." assumes Vidal Ribbons.
About the Italian cyclist, the sports director considers “it is obvious that he can win a Tour de Portugal. Alone has more records than all the Portuguese teams. Don't know the roads, our cycling? It doesn't know, it starts to know. It's not like arriving in June to make the Tour of Portugal in August. We have eight nine months to work, for a long time».
However, Vidal Fitas says that Nocentini is not the only hope of the team to achieve good results throughout the year because «the team has more quality people, who can fight for victory in the Tour».
The quality of the squad is, in fact, a reason for satisfaction for Vidal Fitas: «it is very strong, when we reach the end of the season, we will say if it is a dream or not. For now, what we have is a team of great quality and potential», he concluded.
Rinaldo Nocentini, who also spoke to journalists, hopes to «give victories, transmit experience to young people» and assumes that he is «very happy» at Sporting/Tavira.
About the participation in the Volta ao Algarve, Nocentino says that it is not 100% yet, but says that it is «already in good condition. It's a small team, but I'm doing very well and I'm looking forward to giving Sporting/Tavira some satisfaction in Volta ao Algarve».
Helping the Italian to achieve the goal is David Livramento, one of the athletes who remained in the team. The runner says that the team is «willing to start the races» and assumes that with the partnership with Sporting the «team took a very big leap, notable in the logistics and conditions, and we hope that we can achieve good results in the future and rise in level», he concluded.
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