Columbia-HTC is poised for their last two races of the the 2009 season, the Giro del Piemonte on October 15th and the Giro di Lombardia on October 17th.  "The team put in a strong all-round performance in the Italian Classics held last weekend, and that's an encouraging sign for Piemonte and Lombardia," comments Columbia-HTC sports director Valerio Piva.

"I was pleased because they all finished in the tougher race of the two, the Giro D'Emilia, and Thomas [Lovkvist] rode particularly well there, finishing third after attacking with [winner] Robert Gesink.  Lovkvist will be working together with Kim Kirchen, who thrives in these kinds of long, hilly races.  I'm sure they'll be up there in the action.  Then we have riders in our Lombardia line-up like Marco Pinotti and Kanstantsin Sivtsov,  who are always motivated by the chance to race on the roads they know well from training.  We'll be aiming for a solid result to round off the year in Lombardia."

Columbia-HTC men's team current season total of 85 victories equals their tally for 2008, and Piva says the riders in Italy aim to go at least one better in 2009.  "After winning so much this season, including two big Classics, Milan-San Remo and Ghent-Wevelgem, a victory in a third one-day race like Lombardy would be the cherry on the cake," added Piva.

Team Columbia-HTC for Giro del Piemonte (Oct 15th) and Giro di Lombardia (Oct 17th): Michael Barry (Can); Kim Kirchen (Lux); Craig Lewis (USA); Thomas Lovkvist (Swe); Maxime Monfort (Bel); Marco Pinotti (It); Morris Possoni (It); Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Byl).