Category: Giro d'Italia
So I mentioned to my teen-age son this weekend that the Giro d'Italia was underway and an American was in the pink jersey for the first time in 20 years.
We agreed that was cool, but then I predicted than an Italian would probably win the race, because the Italians are crazy about the Giro and their cyclists put out their best efforts for the race..
Always searching for logic, he asked that if the Italians always win the Giro, then “Why don't the French ever win the Tour de France?” (Bernard Hinault was the last Frenchman to win the Tour — in 1985.)
Without taking a pot shot at the French natural culture, I didn't have any good answers for him. Does anyone? Please leave a comment …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/05/12/bennati-wins-stage-3-at-giro-ditalia-vande-velde-trails-pellizotti-by-1-second/
Just when things were beginning to look really good for Slipstream-Chipotle at the Giro d'Italia, David Zabriskie crashed on Sunday when his bicycle tangled with Alberto Contador's and he was rushed away by ambulance.
An update by Slipstream's directeur sportif Jonathan Vaughters reported that the cyclist from Salt Lake City injured his back in the crash but was able to move his legs. They'll know more when the X-rays come back.
The accident happened along some railroad tracks about 40 miles from the finish, according to CyclingNews. Slipstream, who was defending the pink leader's jersey worn by Christian Vande Velde, and Contador's Astana team were at the head of the peloton chasing down an early breakaway. Contador was able to stay in the race. …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/05/11/zabriskie-crashes-out-in-stage-2-slipstream-loses-giros-pink-jersey/
The US-based Slipstream-Chipotle put Christian Vande Velde in the lead of the 2008 Giro d'Italia on Saturday by winning the opening team time trial.
It marks the first time in 20 years that an American has worn the leader's pink jersey at the Giro.
The Slipstream squad gained the lead after finishing the 14.6-mile course around Palermo on the island of Sicily in 26:32. Of the teams that followed, High Road and Team CSC each finished 6 seconds off the pace.
Slipstream members David Zabriskie (US) and David Millar (UK) set a torrid pace for the team …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/05/10/slipstream-wins-team-time-trial-at-giro-vande-velde-in-pink/
Once again, you'll be able to bring live action from the 2008 Giro d'Italia right to your home or office computer with video streaming or text updates.
The Versus cable network is offering a live video feed from the bike race across Italy via Cycling.tv. The $29.99 offer includes the live feed and daily highlights, as well as this year's Milan-San Remo and Tirreno Adriatico. Sign up at the Versus-Cycling.tv Giro package site.
The one catch is that the offer doesn't include any Sunday stages, as they will be televised by Versus on cable during Cyclysm Sundays. Dates and times for Giro coverage on Cyclysm Sundays: 4 p.m. May 11, May 18 and May 25 and 3 p.m. on June 1 (all times are ET….
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/05/08/watching-the-2008-giro-ditalia/
In spite of an early prohibition, Giro d'Italia organizers are allowing the Astana pro cycling team into the three-week race that begins Saturday in Palermo.
That means US cyclist Levi Leipheimer will race in the Italian classic, along with teammate Alberto Contador, who won the Tour de France last year. (No word on whether the Tour de France chiefs may change their position on Astana.)
Only three of the 22 teams are sending US cyclists to the Giro this year; most of the US riders are members of the Slipstream team. In addition to Leipheimer, other US competitors are Jason McCartney of Team CSC and Jonathan Patrick McCarty, Danny Pate, Christian VandeVelde and David Zabriskie, all of Slipstream…
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/05/06/six-us-cyclists-on-giro-ditalia-roster/
(Feb. 16: High Road reinstated; VeloNews)
Giro d'Italia officials took punitive measures against top-flight pro cycling teams Astana and High Road by denying them admission to three-week race that begins May 10.
It's seems unfortunate and a bit unfair that the likes of Americans Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner (Astana) and George Hincapie (High Road), as well as Spain's Alberto Contador, won't be able to compete because of lax drug oversight by those teams in previous years.
It also raises the possibility that the Tour de France may follow suit, which would prevent Contador from defending his 2007 title and Leipheimer and Hincapie from a chance at wearing the yellow jersey.
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2008/02/03/no-leipheimer-contador-horner-or-hincapie-at-giro-ditalia/
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 ….
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/12/02/strong-finish-for-2008-giro-ditalia-bike-race/
To probably no one's surprise, Italian cyclist Danilo Di Luca, left, officially won the Giro d'Italia on Sunday after he and his Liquigas team dominated the race from the opening stage.
Over the 21-stage race, you can count only four days when a member of the Liquigas team was not in the leader's pink jersey; Di Luca was in the pink for a lucky 13 stages.
Meanwhile, supersprinter Alessandro “Ale-Jet” Petacchi, above right, took the final stage win in Milan. …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/06/04/petacchi-wins-in-milan-di-luca-wins-giro-ditalia/
“Sometimes you hit the bar, sometimes the bar hits you.”
US time trial specialist David Zabriskie lamenting his 3rd-place finish in the Stage 20 individual time trial at the 2007 Giro d'Italia. …
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/06/04/bicycle-quote-zabriskie-all-wet-at-giro/
Spanish cyclist Iban Mayo took a solo win at the Giro d'Italia on Friday after attacking the breakaway and speeding through the driving rain ahead of a chase group into the finish at Comano Terme.
The Stage 19 win for the 29-year-old Saunier Duval cyclist is one of his biggest since winning a stage of the Dauphine Libiere last year. Among his other victories is the L'Alpe d'Huez in the 2003 Tour de France.
Overall Giro leader Danilo Di Luca, unchallenged by the attack, finished in a group nearly 3 minutes behind Mayo. Interestingly, the Liquigas rider set up the action in the second half of Friday's race.
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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2007/06/01/mayo-spreads-peloton-for-giro-win-di-luca-still-pink/
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