Giro Mountain Time Trial on Tap, Favorites Flex Form

The mountain time trial course, though only 12 kilometers long, is more than long enough to create big time gaps

The much anticipated mountian time trial takes place today at the Giro d'Italia, where current maglia rosa Alberto Contador will look to gain time on his rivals in the race against the clock. His closest adversaries, Riccardo Ricco, Danilo Di Luca, Dennis Menchov, and Gilberto Simoni, will hope for good results in the race of truth as they strive to wrestle the jersey away from the super Spaniard.

So what will happen? Who will win? No one can be sure, but one thing is for sure: as steep as the race is, if one is not on a good day, they will lose huge time. Likely the results on the day will show Contador, Ricco and Simoni close to each other, with Menchov and Di Luca slightly further back. Contador should be able to pick up some time on his rivals, and he'll be keen to take as much an advantage as he can so that he can defend in the high mountains later in the week.

For wildcards on the day, keep on eye on the red-hot Emanuel Sella, winner of the last two stages, and the American Levi Leipheimer. The Californian is well down on the GC, and he'll be keen to try to take a stage of the Giro to add ot already filled palmares. And if Andreas Kloden is on a good day, we could see the podium swept by Astana, signalling their hostile and sudden takeover of the 2008 Giro d'Italia.