It's all pink...the color of the Giro. The first of the three majors - cycling' Grand Tours.
The Giro d'Italia starts Saturday in Amsterdam, of all places...with a prologue, and 8.4 km individual Time Trial...to set the standings...
Not to worry, the beauty of the Italian country side and villages are only three days away.
Who are the contenders?
Let's see -
- Simoni is too old to do it again, he may bag a mountain stage, probably has one in him.
- The blood doping Vinikourov will also have a chance on a few stages, he is also looking pretty lean, but he is not a high mountains climber, so he could well fade in the last half of the race - he could wear the maglia rosa for a few days.
- Basso, the reformed doper, owned up, served his suspension, always was a crowd favorite, can he do it without the drugs? Well, I'll take him as a not so long shot. He claims to be not quite where he wants to be in terms of conditioning, but that could be gamesmanship, but, if not, he has time to ride himself into top condition for the last week in the high mountains. He has the recovery abaility needed for stage racing and was explosive in the high mountains...at least when on drugs.
- The Aussie Cadel Evans is targeting this race and has been on form. He could well do it. However, he has never been particularly explosive in the high mountains. He has got to be the favorite. Beat Contador at Fleche Wallone on the finish up the Mur de Huy...gotta recognize for that, but the Mur is not the high mountains
- Carlos Sastre, to me , rides a bit like Evans, but no time trial capability, not that Evans is any serious TTer. I love Team Cervelo, but I think Carlos is a 2nd or 3rd, at best.
- Damiano Cunego - I don't think he can win it again. Has not sowed the form in recent years. He could take a stage or two, could wear the pink jersey. We'll see. Love him when he is riding well.
- Garzelli really is a long shot at his age, younger than Simoni, but not really with a style to win - only there for publicity.
I am calling it Evans 1st, Basso 2nd, I'll have to think a bit about 3rd.
It really is a beautiful scenic race...
Watch it here...
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