Bettini at the Tour of Lombardy in 2007Paolo Bettini has had the world champion's road race jersey for two years running. In those two years though, 'il grillo' has not made many results. Sure, he won the Tour of Romandy after his first world's win in 2006, but besides that result, the pickings have been slim for the small Tuscan all-arounder.
Bettini has finished second several times thus far in 2008, but the aging Italian star has yet to claim victory in an important race, after having been shut out at the early season Tour of California and the recent Ardennes classics. Now in the Giro, Bettini has finished in the running a few times, but has not been able to provide the end of race fireworks that his tifosi are used to. Hopefully Bettini will be able to find the will to take at least one stage in the Giro; but his time is running out.
The final week of the Giro is torturous, with many steep climbs. Bettini needs to make hay soon, or risk going without a win again in his home tour. He has already decided not to race the Tour, and he probably will line up at the Vuelta with only training in mind for the upcoming Olympics and world championships. While going without a win for most of the year would be tough, if he can strike gold in Beijing and the rainbow again in Italy, Bettini will be a champion with a record no one else can or probably ever will lay claim to: Double Olympic champion and three time world champ.
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