Tour of Utah, Timmy Duggan’s first U.S. race in national championship kit

Timmy Duggan enters the Tour of Utah press conference ahead of Joe Dombrowski

[updated 8/8/2012]

Timmy Duggan (Liquigas-Cannondale) has been racing a lot. He’s just returned from a block of time in Europe which ended with the Olympic road race. So he hasn’t had much time to realize he’d be wearing his national championship kit in a U.S. race for the first time during this week’s Tour of Utah.

Since he and his wife moved into their new home in Nederland, Colorado in May, he’s only slept there about six nights. “My next goal is to learn which lights the light switches turn on; I’m learning that right now,” Duggan said in Ogden, the day before the first stage of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah.

The light’s shining on him as leader of the Liquigas-Cannondale team in Utah. He’s arrived with a diverse squad. Duggan described teammates Valerio Agnoli and Damiano Caruso as “proven punchy climbers.” Paolo Longo Borghini is a rider like teammate Ted King, a strong all-arounder, a bigger guy who can climb really well. Talking about King and Borghini, Duggan said, “That’s a wheel I want to be on to stay safe and fresh around the race. Those guys can do anything, go anywhere and be strong all day.” Marco Benfatto, a stagiare, completes the six-man team.

Liquigas-Cannondale’s 2012 Tour of Utah line-up

Duggan feels tomorrow’s Stage 1 is a difficult day; with four KOMs and an unrated climb, anything can happen. “You could see a big breakaway situation, a big split,” Duggan said, “especially…with a hard parcours and obviously no leader, no control yet because it’s the first day [of the race]. I think you can see some fireworks tomorrow.”

When asked if past Tour of Utah winner Francisco Mancebo (Competitive Cyclist) could light those fireworks from the first race day tomorrow, Duggan said, “He always does. He’s one of my favorite riders to watch and race with and key off of in the race, because I know he’s strong, and I know he’s aggressive, and he’s going to be a factor in the race for sure.”

What does Duggan think about wearing his U.S. kit tomorrow? “It’s a little more special,” he said, “so I’m a little more excited to throw the jersey over my head tomorrow.”