ALESSANDRO BAZZANA

• Alzano L, Italy
• Age: 28
• Professional Since 2007

Bazzana raced on 4 continents in 2011, placing in the top-10 8 times, with KOM and Sprint jerseys at the Tour of Denmark and Brixia tour. His growth from American criteriums to World Tour stage races is marked by steady success, and 2012 should be a breakout year.

Bazzana made a choice early in his Bergamasco cycling career. He could stick around Italy and get pushed to the wall for ten years in climber races on his front doorstep, or he could hit out into the wilderness and make a small stab at life in America. Well the knife was well-honed and finely balanced when it cut into the criterium fields in places like Boulder, Colorado and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Places he had learned first of all how to pronounce like he lived there all his life, and then how to race there like the natural puncher he was born to be. IN 2011 we sent him out into the larger world, where he toured Korea in a Colnago sled and tore holes out of the wind and rain to eat for lunch. He brought it all back to Italy for the Brixia Tour in mid-summer, when the sun is hot and everybody wants to go on vacation. The sprinter's jersey was his, and the form lasted through the next week into the Tour of Denmark, where he fought for the climber's jersey until the final circuits of Copenhagen on the last day, when a local rider arced his line in an intermediary hilltop sprint and stole what was rightfully Alessandro's. Not perturbed into the 2012 season, Bazzana is now staring full faced into a European season loaded with tough races that suit his fiery style. Watch for him in the hills, watch for him in the cities. Cheer for him when he wins.

2011 HIGHLIGHTS

• 2nd St6 Tour de Korea, KOR
• 3rd St9 Tour de Korea, KOR
• 4th St2 Tour de Korea, KOR
• 5th St4 Tour de Korea, KOR
• Sprint Jersey, Settimana Lombarda, ITA
• 8th St3 Settimana Lombarda, ITA
• 9th St2 Settimana Lombarda, ITA
• 10th Mumbai Cyclothon, IND
• 11th Paris-Bourges, FRA