No Garzelli at Giro: An Italian Travesty

No Garzelli at the Giro is like not having Christophe Moreau at the Tour de France

Stefano Garzelli burst onto the scene of professional cycling in the year 2000, taking the overall title at the Giro with the support of his teammate, Marco Pantani. He climbed well in the high passes, and distanced his rivals further in the time trials. In 2003 he finished a second overall to a then dominant Gilberto Simoni, and netted the sixth overall position in thew 2004 edition, behind the other Saeco stage racer, Damiano Cunego. Over the years, Garzelli has shown himself at the front of the Italian stage race, and even took two stages in last years Giro.

How can a former Maglia Rosa (2000) not be invited to compete in the Giro???

But Garzelli won't be at the 2008 Giro d'Italia. One of the top Italian riders, both a stage and overall threat, will not be able to ride the event as his team was not invited. Aqua & Sapone goes way back, all the way back to the "Lion King," Mario Cipollini. Any sponsor that is more than five years into their role as financier, shouldn't one assume that they would be invited to their country's home tour? And who deserves to race more than Garzelli? A former winner and constant animator, who could be better for the overall Giro d'Italia experience? If Garzelli can't ride, then you may as well take away the other Italian fixtures over the last few years, names like Simoni, Di Luca, Salvodelli, and Pinotti.

Garzelli has had success throughout his career, and has ridden almost exclusively for Italian sponsored teams

Stefano Garzelli has only a few more years as a top cyclist, as he is fast approaching his 35th birthday this July. As a former stage and overall winner, Garzelli should get his chance each year to contest his country's home stage race. When his time is up, Garzelli will be remembered as an excellent all-around rider who was capable of winning many different types of races. He can time trial, climb, and sprint, and he has a good nose for the front of a race. When the Giro heads into the high mountains, Garzelli's big engine and tactical prowess will be missed.

Pro Tour Teams Worst Fears Realized As Astana, Credit Agricole, Others Left Off 2008 Giro Start List

2008

The organizers of the 2008 Giro d'Italia, RCS Sport, announced on Friday that Pro Tour teams Astana, Credit Agricole, Bouygues Telecom and High Road would not be tendered invites to the 2008 Giro d'Italia. This is in stark contrast to last year, when all three Grand Tours were required to invite all Pro Tour teams. Also absent in 2008 will be Stefano Garzelli, the 2000 winner, as his Aqua & Sapone squad was passed over in favor of Barloworld, Tinkoff, Slipstream, and LPR, among others.

"The Killer" will have his chance to spray the champaign again in 2008, as his LPR team gets the Giro nod

Astana seemed shell shocked, as spokesperson Philippe Maertens expressed. "We are extremely surprised," he said, as the Astana team boarded a flight out of Alburqueque following their training camp and team presentation. "Our team management is currently trying to contact Zomegnan ..."

Alberto Contador and the Astana team got a chilly reception from Italy that followed them all the way to Alberqueque. Could the Tour de France be the next Grand Tour to dis the champ?

The French teams, however, were seeing things in a different light. Bouygues Telecom and Credit Agricole explained that without having to send a team to Italy in May, they would instead be able to focus on getting good results in other races, such as the Clásica Internacional a Alcobendas, the Volta a Catalunya, the Bayern-Rundfahrt and the Four Days of Dunkirk events, all which coincide with the Giro.

Little Tommy Veokler and the Bouygues Telecom team will have to find other races to hone their form ahead of the July Tour de France after being left out of the 2008 Giro

For Aqua & Sapone, there is no such optimism. An Italian sponsored team, missing the Giro will be a huge dissapointment for Garzelli and the rest of the team. At 34, his years of turning the pedals in anger are coming to an end. He'll instead have to hope for a wild card at the Tour, which is unlikely.

Glory Days: At 34, the chances for victory for Garzelli are running out. Here he takes a stage win ahead of Bettini and Mazzolini at last years Giro

The precedence set by the Giro organizers could lead to a similar situation in France. Perhaps Christian Prudhomme will feel that teams with questionable pasts should be punished for positives in previous years. This is a controversial perspective, as both High Road and Astana are under new management, and are among the most tested teams in the professional peloton. But if this proves to be Prudhomme's view, expect him to invite the lone French continental team Agritubel (Christophe Moreau, Romain Feillu), as well as the Italian LPR team (Danilo Di Luca, Paolo Salvodelli) and the British Barloworld (Mauricio Soler, Robbie Hunter, Geraint Thomas, Baden Cooke) squads. Slipstream, providing that they shine in the early season, should also expect to secure an invite as well.

The young neo-pro and next great French hope Romain Feillu (23 yrs old) likely will fly the flag for team Agritubel in the 2008 Tour de France, along with new teammate Christoph Moreau

In the end, this could end up sending a strong message to all teams that not only will individual riders be sanctioned and punished, but the teams themselves will be penalized as well. Team management will have to think long and hard about the riders they contract each year, taking into account that a positive test could affect them into the next season. And those teams that manage to avoid doping positives will be rewarded with the invites to the biggest events. Drastic measures are required for drastic times, and RCS sport has launched the first silo in the new war against doping.

No mercy: Giro race director Angelo Zomegnan made no apologies for leaving four Pro Tour teams and a former overall winner (Garzelli) out of the 2008 edition