On December 13th, Liquigas-Cannondale arrived at its second training camp in Sardinia, Italy.

The 28 riders, accompanied by team directors Stefano Zanatta, Mario Scirea, Paolo Slongo and Alberto Volpi, will spend 10 days on the island for their first hard training sessions of the season. During the camp, the squad is divided into two groups that will follow different training programs, depending on upcoming race schedules.

“Riders due to start racing in January need a higher level of conditioning so they can race competitively without suffering too much," said team trainer Paolo Slongo.

“These guys will go on longer rides to work on their aerobic training and this will be interspersed with anaerobic work. The second group comprises the riders set to start racing in February. Their program is more about basic training with shorter sessions combined with aerobic training."

When training camp is over, the riders return home to continue training on their own and prepare for upcoming races. The team will start the 2012 season with the Santos Tour Down Under from January 15-22 in South Australia.