2004 Team ALESSIO-BIANCHI SOLID CONTENDERS This well-balanced Italian team should have a good Tour. It has top-20 contenders in Italian hope Pietro Caucchioli, 28, and the veteran Dane Claus Möller, 35. Caucchioli has to rediscover the form that earned him third place at the 2002 Giro d’Italia, while Möller was a contender at recent editions of the Vuelta a España for the Milaneza team. Caucchioli may be content going for a win in a semi-mountain stage, while Alessio’s best bets for the flat stages are Paris-Roubaix winner Magnus Bäckstedt and Italian veterans, Cristian Moreni, Andrea Tafi and Fabio Baldato. TEAM Magnus Backstedt Sweden Age: 29 Wins: 9 Fabio Baldato Italy Age: 36 Wins: 38 Alessandro Bertolini Italy Age: 26 Wins: 10 Pietro Caucchioli Italy Age: 28 Wins: 5 Martin Hvastija Slovenia Age: 34 Wins: 10 Marcus Ljungquist Sweden Age: 29 Wins: 12 Claus Michael Moller Denmark Age: 35 Wins: 18 Andrea Noè Itayl Age: 35 Wins: 2 Scott Sunderland Australia Age: 37 Wins: 10 Sponsors: Auto wheels, bicycles Web site: www.alessiowheels.com Manager: Bruno Cenghialta Directeur sportif: Dario Mariuzzo Assistant: Peter Nielsen 2004 budget: $3.6 million Team created: 2000 2003 wins: 21 Past Tours: third year participating EQUIPMENT Bike: Bianchi Components: Campagnolo Wheels: Campagnolo Apparel: Nalini   OTHER TEAMS: Ag2R - AB - BLB - COF - CA - CSC - DV - EE - FB - FDJ - GERO - IBB - LS - LOTO - PHO - QSD - RABO - RAGT - SAE - TMO - USPS