Team information | |
---|---|
UCI code | CAN |
Registered | Italy |
Founded | 2005 |
Disbanded | 2014 (Merged with Garmin–Sharp) |
Discipline(s) | Road |
Status | UCI ProTeam |
Bicycles | Cannondale |
Website | Team home page |
Key personnel | |
General manager | Roberto Amadio |
Team name history | |
2005 2006–2009 2010 2011–2012 2013–2014 | Liquigas–Bianchi (LIQ) Liquigas (LIQ) Liquigas–Doimo (LIQ) Liquigas–Cannondale (LIQ) Cannondale (CAN) |
Cannondale Pro Cycling Team ( UCI team code:CAN), previously known as Liquigas, was an Italian professional road bicycle racing team in the UCI ProTour.
The team was formed at the start of the UCI ProTour in 2005. the team was co-title sponsored by Italian companies Liquigas and Bianchi, therefore it was named Liquigas–Bianchi. It featured a number of big names including Italian riders Mario Cipollini, Danilo Di Luca and Stefano Garzelli, as well as Magnus Bäckstedt.
In 2007, Cannondale replaced Bianchi as the bicycle sponsor. This marked Cannondale's return to the ProTour after discontinuing sponsorship of the Lampre–Caffita team at the end of the 2005 season. Being an American company, their sponsorship led to a small American ridership on the team.
On 11 July 2008 the news broke from the French sports paper L'Équipe that Spanish rider Manuel Beltrán had tested positive for EPO after the first stage of the tour. It was blood abnormalities before the start of the tour that led France's Anti-Doping Agency to target the rider. According to AP a spokesperson for Liquigas confirmed the same day that Beltrán had been thrown off the tour. It was also reported that the police had picked Beltrán up from his hotel where he had been staying with the rest of the Liquigas team, as well as searching the rest of the hotel for more doping. It was later confirmed that his B-sample also tested positive. [1]
From the 2009 Giro d'Italia until the 2012 Tour de France, the team finished every Grand Tour with all nine riders, a total of 11 such events in succession.
For the 2013 season Liquigas-Cannondale became Cannondale Pro Cycling as Cannondale Bicycle Corporation took over as the title sponsor in partnership with Brixia Sports. [2] In August 2014 the team announced their intention to merge with EF Education–EasyPost for the 2015 season. [3]
|
|
— | Did not compete |
---|---|
DNF | Did not finish |
NH | Not held |
Franco Pellizotti is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer, who rode professionally between 2001 and 2018 for the Alessio, Liquigas–Doimo, Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec and Bahrain–Merida teams. Pellizotti now works as a directeur sportif for the Team Bahrain Victorious team.
Daniele Bennati is an Italian former road racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2002 and 2019 for the Acqua & Sapone–Cantina Tollo, De Nardi–Colpack, Phonak, Lampre–Fondital, Liquigas–Doimo, RadioShack–Nissan, Tinkoff and Movistar Team squads.
Vincenzo Nibali is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer, who competed as a professional from 2005 to 2022. He is one of seven cyclists who has won all three of cycling's Grand Tours in their career – having won the 2010 Vuelta a España, the 2013 Giro d'Italia, the 2014 Tour de France and the 2016 Giro d'Italia.
Acqua & Sapone was a professional continental cycling team based in Italy and participated in UCI Europe Tour and when selected as a wildcard to UCI ProTour events. They were managed by Palmiro Masciarelli, assisted by directeur sportifs Lorenzo Di Lorenzo, Bruno Cenghialta and Franco Gini. The team won team championship on the 2005–06 UCI Europe Tour.
LPR Brakes was a UCI Professional Continental cycling team, registered in Ireland. The team participated in UCI Continental Circuits races and, when selected as a wildcard, UCI ProTour events. The 2007 squad merged with Team 3C Casalinghi Jet Androni Giocattoli. The team was managed by Davide Boifava in the 2007 season but Fabio Bordonali acquired the management in late 2007. Giovanni Fidanza, Mario Manzoni, and Marco Giuseppe Tabai were directeur sportifs. The team folded after the 2009 season.
Alessandro Vanotti is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer.
Francesco Chicchi is an Italian retired professional road bicycle racer, who competed as a professional between 2003 and 2016 for the Fassa Bortolo, Liquigas–Doimo, Omega Pharma–Quick-Step, Neri Sottoli and Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec squads.
Dario Cataldo is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam Lidl–Trek.
Oscar Gatto is an Italian former professional racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2007 and 2020, for seven different teams. His nickname is 'Oscar the Cat' because his surname (Gatto) is the Italian word for "cat", and his first name is Oscar.
Vini Zabù was an Italian UCI ProTeam that existed from 2009 until 2021.
Mattia Gavazzi is an Italian former road cyclist, who competed professionally between 2006 and 2016 for teams Team LPR, Preti Mangimi, Diquigiovanni–Androni, Colnago–CSF Inox, Androni Giocattoli–Venezuela, Christina Watches–Dana and two spells with Amore & Vita–Selle SMP. In April 2010, Gavazzi was suspended by the Union Cycliste Internationale following a positive doping control for cocaine. He made his comeback in the 2013 Tour de San Luis. He is a specialist sprinter.
Mauro Finetto, is an Italian former professional cyclist, who competed as a professional from 2008 to 2022. He rode for UCI ProTour team Liquigas–Cannondale in 2011. He sat out the 2012 season professionally, riding for KM Bottecchia, and came back to competition in 2013, signing a contract with Vini Fantini–Selle Italia.
The 2010 season for Liquigas–Doimo began in January with the Tour de San Luis and ended in October at the Giro di Lombardia. As a UCI ProTour team, they were automatically invited and obliged to send a squad to every event in the ProTour.
Manuel Belletti is an Italian former professional road bicycle racer, who last rode for UCI ProTeam Eolo–Kometa. He took a total of 21 professional wins during his career, nine of them on Italian soil.
The 2011 season for Liquigas–Cannondale began in January with the Tour de San Luis and ended in October at the Japan Cup. As a UCI ProTeam, they were automatically invited and obligated to send a squad to every event in the UCI World Tour.
Moreno Moser is an Italian former professional road racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2012 and 2019 for the Cannondale, Cannondale–Drapac, Astana and the Nippo–Vini Fantini–Faizanè teams.
Francesco Manuel Bongiorno is an Italian racing cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Global 6 Cycling.