Marco Pantani is seizing the helm of his Mecatone Uno team to head for calmer water in 2002. He is being given total control of management and team choices by the sponsor, and has already sacked the existing management team of Giuseppe Martinelli and Felice Gimondi in favour of an ex-rider management group, with Pantani’s agent at it’s head.

Bianchi will still provide bikes while Simone Borgheresi, Daniel Clavero Sebastian, Fabiano Fontanelli, Ermanno Brignoli, Riccardo Forconi Marcello Siboni and Luca Mazzanti (Fassa Bortolo) are confirmed on the rider roster.

Meanwhile another drug tainted rider – Richard Virenque – doesn’t sound too confident for the Vuelta telling L’Equipe newspaper he expects “highs and lows” during the race despite a course which suits his climbing skills.

Thanks to cyclingnews.com for this story.