NetApp-Endura goes into the Trittico Lombardo race series with most of their climbers. Riders like Leopold König, Bartosz Huzarski and Tiago Machado will use the races to prepare for the World Championships.

For the NetApp – Endura team's climbers and circuit specialists the final part of the season commences on Tuesday with a series of Italian fall classics. It starts with the quick "Coppa Bernocchi". This is followed, on Wednesday and Thursday, by the "Coppa Agostoni" and the "Tre Valli Varesine", a race steeped in tradition, both also in Lombardy and considered to be two classic races for climbers. The final race takes place the following Saturday, the "Memorial Marco Pantani", held in Cesenatico, near Rimini, which will also test the riders' climbing skills. Part of the NetApp – Endura team will use these four high-quality races to put the final touches on their preparations for the world championships, which start a week later.

"I expect four extremely difficult, high-quality races that will require raw power as well as agility and race intelligence. But we have arrived in Italy with a fantastic team and many of our riders have already proven that they are among the very best several times this year. With the exception of the Coppa Bernocchi, which is a pure sprint, we are well-equipped for all the races and will certainly make an impression. Due to the advanced stage of the season, our strategy will be very flexible and will be precisely defined day-by-day," Christian Pömer, Sports Director of the NetApp – Endura team is prepared for a difficult task.

The "Trittico Totale", the official name of the one-day race series held over three days in northern Italy, starts on Tuesday with the 190 kilometer long 96th Coppa Bernocchi. Although the middle section of the three-lap race has an ascent called the "Piccolo Stelvio", this classic generally ends in a mass sprint. And the following day, in the 200-kilometer 68th Coppa Agostoni, the quick finishers will once again have an opportunity, although the terrain is much more demanding than the previous day.

However, the final day of the Trittico Totale is certain to split the field. The "Tre Valli Varesine" is not considered to be one of the most important Italian one-day races for nothing. After about 50 kilometers, the just under five kilometer-long "Alpe Tedesco" will take care of the first group of riders. The race is decided in nine final laps, with a short and steep ascent in Varese. 

After a rest day, the NetApp-Endura team's Italian week finishes with the Memorial Marco Pantani. The race to honor the winner of the Tour de France, who passed away in 2004, passes over the ascent to Montevecchio, with an incline of up to 15%, three times, while the flat final 40 kilometers ensures that the outcome remains unpredictable.

Line-up:

Leopold König, Tiago Machado, Bartosz Huzarski, Jose Mendes, David de la Cruz, Patrick Konrad, Cesare Benedetti, Gregor Mühlberger