Time trial specialists might be looking forward to the 2008 Giro d'Italia, which rolls out of Palermo on May 10 and ends in Milan on June 1.
The 91st edition of the bike race begins with a team time trial and ends with an individual time trial, with 2 additional time trials sandwiched in between. The three individual time trials, one in the mountains, amounts to about 45 miles.
By contrast, the 2008 Tour de France omitted the prologue this year and once again has no team time trial. Considered time-trial “light,” the Tour's two individual time trials actually total more miles than the Giro– 50.
Strong finish
The last three days of the Giro promise to deliver a lot of suspense to the final outcome, with two heavy mountain stages and the time trial on the final day.
The penultimate stage, for instance, features climbs to Passo Gavia, Passo del Mortirolo and Aprica before finishing in Tirano. (See the Gran Fondo Marco Pantani for more about those summits.) The survivors will face the 14.5-mile individual time trial in Milan.
The first two weeks could be devoted mainly to the sprinters, as all the mountains stages are condensed into the last week.
It's way to early to know all the teams that will be competing, although with all the time trials, it would be cool to see David Zabriskie there with Slipstream-Chipotle.
Much more information at CyclingNews and VeloNews.
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