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Wednesday January 30, 2008

Tinkoff Credit aiming to be frontrunners in upcoming LTdL

KUALA LUMPUR: The 13th edition of the Tour of Langkawi (LTdL) will see the return of the Tinkoff Credit Systems team.

The team, who finished seventh overall last year, aim to be among the frontrunners for the overall crown of the championships scheduled for Feb 9-17.

Their young Russian climber, Pavel Brutt, is returning with a squad and he is ready for battle in every stage of the Tour.

Last year, he delivered the team's historic win in Stage 9 from Putrajaya to Seremban.

“It was a dream start of the year. The victory was my first one for the team and it was naturally a great inspiration,” said Brutt.

Describing last year's race as having been excellently organised, he added that was top-level in every aspect.

“The Tour left a sensation of great discovery and fantastic days spent in a country, so different from all I had visited before,” said the 25-year-old cyclist.

This year, the team return with a bigger appetite.

In their ranks are the LTdL's record five-stage winner Alberto Loddo, who was signed from the Serramenti Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli in the off-season.

Joining Loddo in the double swoop by Tinkoff is Colombian climber Walter Pedraza who will likely be among the top contenders for the overall title in the upcoming edition.

Pedraza finished third overall last year behind Anthony Charteau of Credit Agricole and Jose Serpa of Diquigiovanni.

This time around, Italian sprinter Loddo will be backed by a promising 22-year-old Russian sprinter Nikolai Trusov, who also rode in last year's LTdL.– Bernama.

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