Cannondale will chase their first win of the season in Friday's hilly Italian one-day race Trofeo Laigueglia. With Marco Marcato and Daniele Ratto, the team have two riders who can both climb and sprint while young guns Davide Formolo and Davide Villella will be keen to continue their impressive showing in their recent outings for the team.

On Friday, February 21st, Cannondale Pro Cycling will attend the second Italian road race of the season – the Trofeo Laigueglia. The historical 182 km Italian race will see a mixed team of young and experienced riders. The athletes will be led by Directeur Sportif Mario Scirea.

Daniele Ratto will be a key rider for the Green Machine. His rider characteristics are well suited for the Trofeo Laigueglia. The recent Dubai Tour, where Ratto made his season debut and placed 6th in the last stage, benefited the rider’s cycling condition making him ready to take on his next race.

“I want to make the most of the Treofeo Laigueglia and get positive results,” said Ratto. “During the winter, I worked on my endurance, and this is a perfect moment to improve upon it. In Dubai I felt good, and Trofeo Laigueglia will be a good marker of how much my lungs can take.

“The route is unpredictable, especially in the finale so it is hard to know what the outcome will be. We’ll see how other contenders perform. A sprint to the end is ideal for me, but our team has many different riders. We are well-balanced having young and experienced cyclists competing, and it is our responsibility to lead the team which won’t be a burden, but an incentive to do our best.”

In addition to Ratto, Cannondale Pro Cycling can also count on experienced riders Marco Marcato, Maciej Bodnar, Cristiano Salerno and Juraj Sagan.  The pool of young guns includes Matej Mohoric, who will be debuting in Europe after the Australian campaign (Tour Down Under and Herald Sun Tour), Davide Villella who recently raced the Gran Premio Costa degli Etruschi and Tour of Qatar, and Davide Formolo, also a participant at the Gran Premio Costa degli Etruschi.

“We are eager to show our potential as a team and stand out among the competition. I am confident in our approach, and the athletes will race well,” said Directeur Sportif Mario Scirea.

“We’ll fight to get the best results possible,” added Scirea. “Cannondale Pro Cycling has riders who have the ability to be among the best in the finale. Ratto and Marcato could be in the fray. Other young riders may be there too. All the athletes have a good running-in in their legs, but during a one-day race, you only have one shot to make your mark. You need to be ready at the right moment.”

Cannondale for the Trofeo Laigueglia

Daniele Ratto, Marco Marcato, Davide Villella, Davide Formolo, Juraj Sagan, Maciej Bodnar, Matej Mohoric and Cristiano Salerno