Tag: Giro d’Italia

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Giro Tribute

Team Leopard Trek have announced their resignation from this year’s Giro d’Italia following the tragic accident that killed their team mate Wouter Weylandt on Monday May 9. Their team statement read simply: “The riders of Leopard Trek wish to communicate that they will leave the Giro d’Italia. This choice of the riders has the full support of the staff and management of Leopard Trek.”

 

The fourth stage – the last for Leopard Trek – was begun with Bersaglieri infantry soldiers sounding a bugle tribute as the peloton headed out before a deliberate slow-paced stage that saw many spectators holding placards with Weylandt’s 108 race number on. In the final few kilometres overall leader David Millar (Garmin-Cervélo) waved for Leopard Trek, who were wearing black armbands, to take the lead and cross the line first. As a mark of respect race director Angelo Zomegnan confirmed that the 216km stage would not count towards the Giro’s race results and in place of the usual award ceremony Leopard Trek took to the podium along with Millar and the other jersey holders in silent tribute.

 

A fund to help support Weylandt’s family has been set up via facebook and secure PayPal account at www.facebook.com

 

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Wouter Weylandt 1984–2011

The cycling world is in mourning following the news that Wouter Weylandt has died following a crash on Monday’s stage (May 9) of the Giro d’Italia. He was 26. The Belgian cyclist was a rising star at Leopard-Trek, having moved to the team at the start of the season just 5 years after turning professional in 2005 with Quick Step.

 

With around 20km left to go on the third stage of the Giro (Reggio Emilia to Rapallo) Weylandt fell during a descent and lay motionless at the side of the road. Despite being attended by paramedics within moments of the accident his head injuries were so extensive that he was declared dead at the scene. Although the race continued – few riders were aware of the events unfolding – organisers later cancelled the day’s prize ceremony which would have featured stage winner Angel Vicioso and seen Britain’s David Millar taking the over all leader’s pink jersey.

 

Weylandt is the first cyclist to die in a crash at a major event since Fabio Casartelli at the Tour de France in 1995, but the fourth to die at the Giro which has previously claimed the lives of Orfeo Ponsin (1952), Juan Manuel Santisteban (1976) and Emilio Ravasio (1986).

 

A statement, accompanied by a smiling picture of Weylandt, on the Leopard-Trek website reads: “The team is left in a state of shock and sadness and we send all our thoughts and deepest condolences to the family and friends of Wouter. This is a difficult day for cycling and for our team, and we should all seek support and strength in the people close to us.”

 

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Giro d’Italia Need to Know

As befits one of the greatest competitions in the world the Giro d’Italia’s origins can be found in a little friendly rivalry. In August 1908, partly in response to the growing success of the Tour de France which had begun in 1903, the Italian sports paper Gazetta dello Sport announced the inaugural staging of the Giro which was to be organised along similar lines to the car rally started and sponsored by their rivals at Corriere della Sera; an event which had seen their circulation rise dramatically. The Gazetta’s founder Eugenio Camillo Costamagna, along with director Armando Cougnet and its editor Tullio Morgagni went to press with their announcement, leaving the country in no doubt that they should look forward to hosting one of the most spectacular sporting events in the world. Nine months later, May 13, 1909, 127 riders lined up in Loreto Place in Milan ready to battle it out over eight stages and 2448 kilometres to see who had the mettle to become the first ever Giro d’Italia champion. Ultimately the accolade went to Italian Luigi Ganna who walked (rode?) away with more than 5,300 Lira in prize money and a place in the cycling history books.

 

Over the last century the Giro has changed little in either spirit or practice, but has grown yearly in popularity to now form one of the three Grand Tours along with older brother the Tour de France and younger cousin the Vuelta a España, which was first held in 1935 and became an annual event from 1955.

 

The Giro in Facts and Figures:

 

An Italian won every Giro from the inaugural staging until 1950 when Swiss rider Hugo Koblet upset the national pride apple cart. It took another 38years for a non-European to win (Andrew Hampsten of the USA).

 

With the route continually changing over the years there have been some big fluctuations from the original distance, with the longest ever staging being held in 1954 across 4,337km.

 

The record for the most number of Giro wins (5) is shared by three legendary riders: Alfredo Binda (Italy, 1925, ‘27, ‘28, ‘29 and 1933), Fausto Coppi (Italy, 1940, ‘47, ‘49, 1952 and ‘53) and Belgian Eddy Merckx (1968, 1970, ‘72, ‘73 and ‘74).

 

Fausto Coppi’s 1940 also win bagged him the record for the youngest ever winner of the Giro; he was aged 20years, 8months and 25 days. Compare, if you will, to the eldest ever winner Fiorenzo Magni who took his third win in 1955 (having also taken victory in 1948 and ’51) at the ripe old age of 35.

 

The leaders jersey for the Giro is pink based on the paper colour of Gazetta dello Sport and known as the maglia rosa. Eddy Merckx takes another Giro record as the rider having sported it on the most occasions: a truly impressive 76days.

 

The 2011 Giro has seen a record number of riders lined up with 23 teams and 207 riders, a far cry from a century ago when a mere 56 competitors took to the course for the 1912 edition or indeed to the 1914 race which saw only 8 riders finish…

 

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All for One

HTC-Highroad’s Mark Cavendish has enjoyed a dream start to this year’s Giro d’Italia by helping team-mate Marco Pinotti take the jersey at the 19.3km Team Time Trial opening stage; later tweeting “I’m so proud of the guys today. Like a group of musketeers…” Pinotti, who finished ninth in last year’s race, concurred with the team spirit by commenting: “It’s a huge honour to be wearing the pink jersey but this is a victory that belongs to the whole team,” But today – Sunday May 8 – could really be Cavendish’s day with a chance for solo victory on the longest section heading Alba to Parma over a distance of 244 kilometres. In total the Giro covers a little over 3,500km across 21 stages, concluding on May 29 in Milan with the 31.5km Individual Time Trials – another potential for Cavendish to shine solo.

 

For full results see: www.uciworldtour.com

 

 

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Giro Gears Up

Giro d'ItaliaThe countdown to the Giro d’Italia 2011 is now in its final stages with events kicking off on Saturday May 7 with the 19.3km Venaria Reale to Torino Team Time Trials before what promises to be 21 stages of blistering action which will culminate on May 29 in Milan with the 31.5km Individual Time Trials. This year’s Giro also marks an historic milestone for the country and Giro d’Italia Director Angelo Zomegnan has promised an event that: “…celebrates 150 years since Italian unification, underlining all the specific things that are important for our country, not just sporting but also cultural, social, political, geographical, artistic, agricultural and gastronomic…” And with a boost to national pride and to help honour the occasion Italian National Champion Giovanni Visconti (team Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli) has been awarded the number 150.

 

Zomegnan concluded his statement, when the course details were first announced, by saying: “More so than the Tour de France or the Vuelta, the Giro reflects the history of the country to which it belongs; Italy was not yet five decades old when the race was first held, and it played a key role in reuniting the country following the divisions caused by the Fascist era and World War II, providing the backdrop as Italy headed into the years of La Dolce Vita and the Miracolo Economico.”

 

Full starting team details can be found at: www.gazzetta.it

 

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BMC: Two Men Down for Giro

Both former World Champion Alessandro Ballan and his team mate Mauro Santambrogio have been suspended by BMC over on-going investigations into doping allegations stretching back to Ballan’s days with former team Lampre (with whom he turned professional back in2004). Ballan was initially suspended last year before being cleared by an internal team investigation, but in an official statement BMC now say that further details have come to light which will see both riders excluded from the 94th Giro d’Italia which begins with Time Trials on May 7. Both riders refute allegations of wrongdoing and are said to be cooperating fully with the investigation.

 

The BMC statement says: “BMC Racing Team President/General Manager Jim Ochowicz said new information received, along with consideration of the team’s anti-doping policy and the UCI’s Code of Conduct, means the two will be held out of competition pending further details. Both riders have been cooperating fully with the investigation, and, as we did last year, we will respect their presumption of innocence and we expect them to continue their full support to the authorities. Ochowicz said the team will monitor the investigation and both riders will have to personally address any accusations on their own.”

 

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Denmark’s the Start for Giro 2012

Giro d'ItaliaAfter months of speculation the organisers of the Giro d’Italia have finally announced that the 2012 edition will begin in Denmark, marking its first ever visit to Scandinavia. The Giro will kick off on Saturday, May 5, in Herning (coincidently also the birthplace of Bjarne Riis who rides for Saxo Bank-SunGard) with the Individual Time Trial beginning and ending at the town’s Exhibition Centre. Stage two’s 200k loop will also call Herning home, before the action transfers to Horsens in east Jutland for stage three and then moves back to more familiar Italian home ground. The decision finally lays to rest the rumours that the 2012 Giro would begin in Washington DC – which would have made it the first Grand Tour to start outside of Europe – and marks the tenth occasion on which it has started outside of Italy. The 2010 edition started in Amsterdam.

 

In a joint statement the mayors of Herning and Horsens, Lars Krarup and Jan Tojborg respectively, comment: “We share a strong tradition for cycling and are experienced in handling large, international events and we look forward to the challenge and to giving the Italians a perfect start of the race in 2012.”

 

This year’s Giro d’Italia starts May 7 in Turin, finishing May 29 in Milan.

 

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Giro Maxes Out

Giro d'ItaliaWhat could be better than watching 22 teams of top-flight cyclists battling it out over three weeks across some of the most demanding terrain Europe has to offer? How about watching 23 teams do it. The UCI (International Cycling Union) has granted special dispensation to the organisers of this year’s Giro d’Italia – May 7 to 29 – to allow a total of 207 cyclists to start, a record number for the event.

 

The usual suspect first division teams will be joined the wild card selections comprising, Acqua & Sapone, Androni Giocattoli, Colnago-CSF Inox, Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli and Geox-TMC, the latter provisionally including 2009 Giro winner Denis Menchov along with 2008 Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre. Saxo Bank-SunGard’s Alberto Contador is already being touted as a race favourite (he was Giro winner in 2008), although the possibility of either the UCI or the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) overturning the Spanish Cycling Federation’s decision to clear him after he tested positive for the banned drug Clenbuterol still hangs over his head.

 

The Giro begins with Turin Team Time Trials (try saying that three times fast) and will cover a total of 3496km and 17 regions before drawing to a close with Individual Time Trials in Milan over a distance of 32.8km. Amongst the many highlights will be the Mount Etna summit finish after a punishing 159km climb on day 9 and the evil looking uphill Individual Time Trial between Belluno and Nevegal on day 16.