Manuel Quinziato: Ultimate 2010 Cobbled Classics Underdog

Manuel Quinziato, the leader of the Liquigas team for the cobbled classics, is an interesting type of star. Soft spoken, hard working, yet still unproven as a winner, Quinziato flies waaaaay under the radar when discussions about race favorites for the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix come up. Despite featuring in the decisive breakaway at Flanders last year and a nice 9th place at Roubaix, the Italian strongman has been mostly forgotten among the top cobbled-classics riders for 2010.

Quinziato seems a similar rider to Juan Antonio Flecha at this point in his career. Like Flecha (until recently at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad), Quinziato has not won a cobbled classic yet, but has featured in both cobbled monuments. Also like the Spaniard, he rides for a team that is not well-known for cobbled classic success. His Liquigas team houses some of the world's best stage racers in Franco Pellizotti, Ivan Basso, Romain Kreuziger and Vincenzo Nibali, and one of the top sprinters as well in the form of Daniele Benatti. Quinziato, though a big talent in one day cobbled races, is largely lost in the Liquigas shuffle.

For 2010, Quinziato will be the sole leader of the Liquigas team for both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. As he did in 2009, he'll arrive at the start lines of both races as a mild favorite, while other big names like Boonen, Cancellara, Pozzato and others enjoy most of the front page coverage.

His underdog status can only help Quinziato as he looks to establish himself among the world's elite cobbled riders. He has gained valuable experience over the past seasons and is a capable veteran that seems to have as good a chance as anyone else to take top honors in one of the upcoming cobbled races. Providing his team holds up and brings him to the front of the race at the most crucial moments, he should be expected, at a minimum, to finish in the top ten for both races. A win meanwhile is not impossible, but would be a massive surprise to all except perhaps Quinziato and his Liquigas team.

In viewing Juan Antonio Flecha's win at the Omloop, Quinziato must feel more than ever that he has a great chance for success in the coming weeks. A strong early season build up free of sickness and crashes has seen Quinziato prepare to battle with the best at Flanders and Roubaix, and despite having the pressure of an entire team on his shoulders, Quinziato seems as well-prepared as ever to deal with such pressures.

Winning a big cobbled-classic is a gradual process, where success is found after years of learning, heartbreak and poor luck. Quinziato has suffered through both over past editions, and now as an established veteran deserves to be considered among the other top favorites for the top step of the podium. An Italian winning a cobbled classic is a rarity indeed, and Quinziato will hope to surprise the world in a few weeks time at the biggest cobbled-classics of 2010.