CHRIS HOY AND GERAINT THOMAS TO RIDE AT MILAN SIX

Triple Olympic champion Chris Hoy will ride his first event since the Beijing Games at the Milan Six at the beginning of November, riding in the Sprinter Cup series supporting event against long-time rivals Roberto Chiappa and Arnaud Tournant.

Hoy has already announced that he will not ride in the Manchester round of World Cup (Oct 31-Nov 2) because he will not be competitive at an international level but he has been trying to keep himself fit between public appearances so he can take on Chiappa and Tournant in the exhibition sprint event.

A full official announcement about the line-up of the Milan Six is planned for Tuesday October 21 but reports in Italy have named Hoy as the star of the Sprinters Cup, with recently retired world champion Paolo Bettini the star of the six-day.

The Milan Six was recreated last year and will again be held during the Milan bike show between Tuesday November 4 and Sunday November 9.

Bettini is rumoured to be riding with Olympic Madison champion Juan Laneras who also recently announced his retirement. Other riders on the start list include road stars Filippo Pozzato and Yaroslav Popovych. World champion Alessandro Ballan is set to ride in an exhibition event, as is Ivan Basso, a few days after his ban for doping ends on October 24 and following his first race at the Japan Cup on October 26.

THOMAS TO RIDE IN MILAN

The Milan Six clashes with the Dortmund and Munich six-day races meaning Bradley Wiggins cannot ride but fellow team pursuit gold medallist Geraint Thomas will be in the action on the temporary built track at the Milan Exhibition centre.

Thomas is currently finishing his road season with Barloworld and could ride with team mate Enrico Gasparotto. It will be the Welshman?s last event before finally taking a break and enjoying a well-deserved holiday.

CIPOLLINI BACK AGAIN

According to rumours in Italy, Mario Cipollini will also ride the Milan Six as he makes his second comeback to racing.

The 41 year-old playboy sprinter and 2002 world champion retired in 2005 but made a comeback in February to ride the Tour of California with the controversial Rock Racing team. He retired again after talks about managing the US team fell through in March but is reported to be training hard in Tuscany, so that he can be on form for the six nights of racing. Cipollini is set to ride with Dutchman Leon Van Bon.

Entry to the Milan Six is included in the price of tickets for the bike show. Tuesday and Wednesday are reserved for press and trade visitors but tickets for the Milan Six can be bought separately.

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