With Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) firmly in command of the maglia rosa, a few questions still remain for the 2011 Giro d'Italia. Among them:
Who will share the podium with Contador, and will Stefano Garzelli hold onto the mountains jersey.
Anticipating this questions several months ago, the Giro organizers threw in mountain-top finishes for the 19th and 20th stages.
Below is a 3D tour of the first climb of the day …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/26/stage-19-climb-preview-another-mountain-top-finish/
Team Liquigas must have loved Stage 18, as cyclist Eros Capecchi won the team's first victory at the 2011 Giro d'Italia in San Pellegrino Terme.
The 25-year-old joined a 15 to 20 man breakaway that developed more than halfway through the 151km (94 miles) race, then joined the three-man break that survived to the finish.
Meanwhile, overall leader Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) relaxed in the peloton with a 4:58 lead …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/26/first-win-for-italian-cycling-team-at-2011-giro-ditalia/
Deep snow in the Cascade Mountains this winter and spring delayed the opening of the Northern Tier Bicycle Route through Washington until earlier today.
The bicycle route follows State Route 20, also known as the North Cascades Highway, over the breath-taking Washington (el. 5,477 feet) and Rainy (4,875 feet) passes in North Cascades National Park.
The highway is normally closed due to snow in late November until the spring. This year, state highway snow-removal crews arrived to find the snow 75 feet deep in places.
An April snowstorm and avalanche danger delayed the start of snow removal that took 6 weeks, about twice as long as normal. This year marked the second latest opening of the road …..
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/25/northern-bicycle-route-finally-opens-through-washington-state/
Races judges decided that an Italian sprinter at the Giro d'Italia was doing more than just gesturing with his hands and relegated him to third place at the close of Stage 17 in Tirano on Wednesday.
In the final sprint, Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini) appeared to tap Diego Ulissi (Lampre) on the hip then push him aside with his forearm as he passed by along the barricades.
Ulissi slowed down a bit in the commotion as Visconti win the sprint. But the judges don't like cyclists to take their hands off the handlebars ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/25/strange-odyssey-to-stage-17-victory-for-giro-sprinter/
Cyclist for Lampre
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/25/diego-ulissi/
For the first time since last Thursday, the Giro d'Italia cyclists won't be struggling uphill to the finish line on Wednesday.
Stage 18 is a 230km (143-mile) bike race from Feltre to Tirano in the Alps. The peloton crosses a couple of passes, but finishes on a downhill run.
The first climb is the Category 2 Passo del Tonale ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/25/mountains-in-stage-18-but-no-uphill-finish/
Heading out for a morning bicycle ride, I paused to take a photo of this rather large peloton coming my way on Lake Washington Boulevard in Bellevue.
It wasn't until most of them passed that one of the cyclists told me it was the Phil Liggett bike ride.
I suppose if I had been listening more closely, I could have heard someone saying, “He's dancing on the pedals,” or “The elastic has snapped!” ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/24/phil-liggett-bike-ride-rolls-through-bellevue/
Last week, Winona Bateman at the Adventure Cycling Association asked me for a quote about why I support the US Bicycle Route System fund-raising campaign.
As usual in those circumstances, I couldn't think of anything too profound to say.
Essentially, I said it “tickles me” to think about future bicyclists being able to follow bicycle-route signs as they travel some 50,000 miles of bike-friendly road. I added:
“And just as intriguing is the idea of mom and pop businesses — bike shops, campgrounds, hostels — sprouting up to cater to these bicyclists who have taken to the long road.” ….
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/24/supporting-the-us-bicycle-route-system-fund-raising-campaign/
The unrelenting force of Alberto Contador in the mountains continued to widen the margin over his rivals at the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday.
The Spaniard won the uphill Stage 16 individual time trial by 34 seconds with five stages left, all but assuring himself the championship on Sunday.
The battle now appears to be who will share the podium with Contador …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/24/little-doubt-for-giro-championship/
The organizers weren't kidding when they said the 2011 Giro d'Italia would be one of the toughest in memory.
Tuesday's Stage 16 is an individual time trial — a mere 12.7km (7.9 miles) from Belluno to Nevegal. The difficulty comes from the fact that it is all uphill, with sections at 10% to 14% gradient.
Here's a profile and 3D tour supplied by CyclingtheAlps.com …
Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/24/time-trial-profile-for-tuesdays-stage-16-at-giro-ditalia/
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