Team Columbia-HTC is sending a powerful, experienced squad to tackle the two prestigious Italian Classics held this weekend:  the Giro dell'Emilia on October 10th and the G.P. Beghelli on October 11th.

Columbia-HTC's Marco Pinotti, who knows both races very well, says that "the Giro dell'Emilia has the toughest course by far.  The first half is flat, but then the hills begin and finally it's got five ascents of a short but difficult climb, and the last time it finishes at the top.  It's ideal for the kind of climbers who do well in the Ardennes Classics in April, guys like [Columbia-HTC teammate] Kim Kirchen who've won the Fleche Wallone in the past."

Pinotti says Beghelli, which is flatter, "is a very different race.  There's a final circuit with a small climb, but instead of a lone winner, you'll normally get 45 or 50 guys all together and they sprint it out.  A break can go, though, and the riders who've gone all out the day before are really tired here, which makes it a bit more complicated to predict.  We don't really have a sprinter for these races, so we'll try and break up the race in the finishing circuit and see if a move can get away and stick."

After a strong ride in the World Championships, in which he finished fifth in the men's time trial, Pinotti says he's in good shape even as the end of the season draws close.  "I did three or four days' easy training after the World's, but then I started training hard again and I'm still in good shape.  I'm feeling good and I'm feeling confident."

Team Columbia-HTC for Giro dell'Emilia (Oct 10th) and GP Beghelli (Oct 11th): Kim Kirchen (Lux); Craig Lewis (USA); Thomas Lovkvist (Swe); Maxime Monfort (Bel); Marco Pinotti (It); Morris Possoni (It); Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Byl).