In just five days, Team Liquigas-Cannondale has been on an impressive tear to close out the month of August in incredible fashion.
Wednesday's Vuelta a España stage six from Úbeda to Córdoba featured four Liquigas-Cannondale riders storm over the summit of the day's final climb. Vincenzo Nibali broke away on the descent as was expected. What was more surprising was the he would soon be joined by teammates Peter Sagan, Valerio Agnoli and Giro stage winner, Eros Capecchi. Movistar's Pablo Lastras Garcia joined the green quartet, setting out to upset the team time trial to the finish line. The sprint turned into a confusing affair. Once Lastras took off, it was Sagan who at just twenty one years of age seemed to have the presence of mind of an experienced champion. Controlling Lastras at the last moment, Sagan easily pushed off to take the stage win.
While Capecchi broke off, Agnoli took a controversial third place ahead of his team leader, and the six bonus seconds so needed by Nibali. It was an impressive team display which netted a 1-3-4-5 finish. After a stage one team time trial that returned the team to their accustomed place near the top and this fine sixth stage result, Nibali remained in striking distance of the race leadership.
The following day's stage featured Sagan again, who by finishing second to sprint revelation Marcel Kittel (Skil-Shimano), took the green jersey in the points classification.
Friday's results would come from Colorado's USA Pro Cycling Challenge, where sprinter Elia Viviani benefitted from great teamwork and a superb lead out from Daniel Oss to take stage four's finish in Steamboat Springs.
"The team worked all day long for this. First with Szmyd, Sagan and Duggan rotating early on, then with the others (Basso, King, Cimolai and Oss) later. I even saw Ivan with 2km to go in the battle! Daniel, as we know, is among the best at this type of lead-out. I felt great, so I knew I had to give it a go. To win the stage and take over the green jersey is a great feeling, especially knowing the joy it brings to our friends and sponsors at Cannondale. I believe it's the first big win aboard the Evo, so I'm proud of that as well!"
While the team's fans on the East coast of the United States prepared for the arrival of Hurricane Irene, many were fortunate enough to see yet another impressive display from the Liquigas-Cannondale team.
Placing Ivan Basso into an early breakaway, the team relied on the tactics of RadioShack and United Health Care to eventually catch the break just before the line. Fresh from sitting in the group, it was once again Daniel Oss leading Viviani to a second straight win and further consolidation of his green jersey.
