Category: Giro d'Italia

Tributes for Wouter Weylandt

Many cyclists shared their feelings about cyclist Wouter Weylandt as the horror of what happened in Stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia began to sink in. Monday was a truly sad day in cycling.

It was unknown how the peloton plans to honor the fallen cyclist. In times past, cyclists have ridden the stage following a death en masse, much like the Ride of Silence. Race organizers said they will adhere to the peloton's wishes.

One of Weylandt's friends was Tyler Farrar, the Wenatchee, WA, native who now makes his home in Ghent, Belgium. That was also the home for the Belgian cyclist ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/10/tributes-for-wouter-weylandt/

Tragic stage for the Giro d'Italia;
Wouter Weylandt dies in crash

A fatal crash on a downhill run cast a pall over the Giro d'Italia as it wrapped up Stage 3 on the Italian Riviera on Monday.

Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt, left, died from injuries he suffered in a crash on the descent of Passo del Bocco, about 15 miles from the finish line.

Video from the race showed EMTs performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on the rider for Leopard Trek. Reports say he was later airlifted to a local hospital ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/09/tragic-stage-for-the-giro-ditaliawouter-weylandt-dies-in-crash/

Previewing bike race climbs on Giro d'Italia Stage 3

While Stage 3 on Monday is another day for the sprinters, the cyclists will first have to survive two climbs on the 173km bike race from Reggio Emilia to Rapallo.

Here are descriptions and route maps of the two climbs from CyclingtheAlps.com. You also can take a virtual bicycle ride over the second climb with Streetviews.

First is the gradual Passo del Bocco (957m) that ends in a series of short ramps …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/08/previewing-bike-race-climbs-on-giro-ditalia-stage-3/

'Ale-Jet' wins disputed Stage 2 Giro sprint;
'Manx Missile' in pink

Two prolific Giro d'Italia sprint winners of recent years battled to a controversial finish in Parma on Sunday.

Known as well by their nicknames Ale-Jet and Manx Missile, Italy's Alessandro Petacchi edged Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) by the width of a bicycle tire at the finish line.

While Petacchi threw up is arms in celebration, Cavendish gestured angrily at his rival and then the judges, motioning that he'd been cut off in the last hundred yards of the sprint. [Video from UniversalSport.com shows how it unfolded]….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/08/ale-jet-wins-disputed-stage-2-giro-sprint-manx-missile-in-pink/

Bicycling, and coding, for the love of Alpine mountains

Some bicyclists will do anything to avoid a climb. They route their rides through the flat lands and never taste the challenge of vertical exertion.

At the other extreme is Dennis Wegewijs, a Dutch bicycling enthusiast who searches out the most difficult climbs — namely Alpine passes — to summit on his bicycle with his friends.

Dennis said that at some point, they decided to ride their bicycles over all the passes of the Alps. Why?

“To stay fit, to reach something in life …”

That enthusiasm for Alpine cycling prompted Dennis to launch an amazing website named CyclingtheAlps.com….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/08/bicycling-and-coding-for-the-love-of-alpine-mountains/

Giro d'Italia Stage 2 climb preview from CyclingtheAlps.com

An undying interest in high mountain passes by a German cycling fan will enable the BikingBis blog's 2011 Giro d'Italia report to include maps, profiles and streetviews of all the climbs in this year's bicycle race.

More about Dennis Wegewijs on Sunday, but suffice it to say that he is sharing data from his CyclingtheAlps.com website for the Giro climbs in the Alps and Dolomites, as well as Mount Etna.

Let's start with the climb on Stage 2 — Tabiano Castello. At 315 meters it's not a giant, but …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/07/giro-ditalia-stage-2-climb-preview-from-cyclingthealps-com/

HTC-Highroad wins opening team time trial at Giro d'Italia

“Disciplined” is a word often used to describe the US-based HTC-Highroad pro cycling team.

The 9-man squad at the Giro d'Italia showed how discipline pays off on Saturday when it won the team time trial in Turin, putting Italy's Marco Pinotti in the pink jersey and four teammates in the Top 5 overall positions.

We may get to see that discipline displayed again on Sunday in a peloton-controlling lead-out train in an attempt deliver Mark Cavendish to the front of an expected sprint finish …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/07/htc-highroad-wins-opening-team-time-trial-at-giro-ditalia/

Americans take the course at Giro d'Italia

Eight Americans, representing four pro cycling teams, will be in the peloton at the Giro d'Italia when it sets off Saturday with the opening team time trial in Turin.

With competition for attention from the Amgen Tour of California that runs May 15-22, many teams are holding back their US native cyclists for West Coast race.

Garmin-Cervelo is trying to have it both ways, with its strongest riders split between both races. Tyler Farrar, above, for instance will be competing for sprint wins at the Giro, while Christian Vande Velde and Dave Zabriskie are headed to California ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/06/americans-take-the-course-at-giro-ditalia/

Giro d'Italia starts Saturday; daily TV and streaming coverage

The 2011 Giro d'Italia kicks off on Saturday with a 19.3km (12-mile) team time trial on the streets of Turin and ends 21 stages later with a 31.5km (19.5-mile) ITT in Milan.

Along the way, cycling fans will be treated to 45 hours of live coverage on cable TV, Internet video streaming and mobile platforms through Universal Sports.

Last year's winner, Italy's Ivan Basso, is not returning to defend his title in 2011. Early predictions call for a four-way battle between Alberto Contador, previous champion Denis Menchov, and Italians Vincenzo Nibali and Michele Scarponi. …..

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/05/giro-ditalia-starts-saturday-daily-tv-and-streaming-coverage/

Basso wins 2010 Giro d'Italia

Italy's Ivan Basso won his second Giro d'Italia on Sunday, easily holding his rivals at bay in the final individual time trial in Verona.

David Arroyo, the career domestique for Caisse d'Epargne finished in 2nd place overall, and Basso teammate Vincenzo Nibali finished in 3rd. Michele Scarponi and Cadel Evans rounded out the top 5.

Gustav Larsson, a Swedish member of Team Saxo Bank, won the stage that ended in an ancient coliseum.

Basso, 32, previously won the Giro in 2006, then finished in 4th place in 2009. In between, his cycling career was interrupted by a two-year doping suspension …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2010/05/30/basso-wins-2010-giro-ditalia/