Team HTC-HighRoad Aiming for Team Time Trial and Overall Success in 2011 Tirreno-Adriatico

Team HTC-Highroad aims to hit the ground running in the 2011 Tirreno-Adriatico with the team's first big focus on a strong performance in the Italian race's opening team time trial later today.

"We've got a great line-up here for a team time trial with some of the squad's top TT specialists," Team HTC-HighRoad sports director Valerio Piva commented.

"HTC-Highroad has always done well in time trials in Italy, too. We won the opening team time trial of the Giro d'Italia in 2009, so that first stage is a real target."

"Then we'll see what we can do in the first two flat stages with Mark [Cavendish], he was going very well in the Eroica [Strade Bianche, one-day race], only losing contact with the front group right at the end, and his morale is good," Piva continued and added "Marco Pinotti, Michael Albasini and Peter Velits will be our GC riders here. The final individual time trial this year is a factor in their favor."

Team HTC-Highroad has used the three days leading up to the Tirreno-Adriatico 2011 to check out the finale of the upcoming 2011 Milano-San Remo Classic, riding the last 60 kilometers on Sunday then the last 100 kilometers on Monday.

"There have been no changes at all to the route, but it's good just to remember what it's like," Piva continued and concluded "seeing it again was definitely worthwhile."

Team HTC-Highroad roster for the 2011 Tirreno-Adriatico:
Mark Cavendish (GB); Bert Grabsch (Ger); Michael Albasini (Swi); Hayden Roulston (NZ); Bernhard Eisel (Aut); Marco Pinotti (Ita); Mark Renshaw (Aus); Peter Velits (Svk).

Watch video highlights from the 2011 Tirreno-Adriatico in the videos section here on Roadcycling.com after each day's stage.

Download Roadcycling.com's new cycling iPhone app online at http://itunes.apple.com/app/roadcycling-cycling-app/id395146493