Out of the Limelight, Basso Trains, Eyes 2009 Debut

Word out of the Tuscany region in Italy says that deposed Italian star Ivan Basso is putting in huge hours on the bike, six days a week. He has a familiar climb that he has used to guage his fitness throughout his career, and he has supposedly shattered his records while out training. Recently annointed "Anti-Doping Ambassador" by the UCI, Basso signed with the Italian Liquigas team a few weeks ago, effectively returning him to approximately the same point he was at before his exclusion from the Tour de France in 2006.

Basso has always been a huge talent, and has won at every level of cycling. Whether he doped or not is less of an issue than in the past, as it seems that the European peloton is making strides in the fight against doping. Basso will compete on a more level playing field against a cleaner peloton when he returns. He'll have good team support from his new Liquigas team, and he is looking as though he'll at least be a threat in the 2009 Giro. His dedication to training has never been questioned, only his judgement. Hopefully, the second time around in pro cycling will go better for Basso. Best case scenario over the final few years of his career (he'll be 31 when he returns): One Tour de France win, two more Giro titles, and one classic. Worst case scenario: Makes a bunch of money over the next few years, fades away like Iban Mayo did.

At Long Last: Markus Eichler Completes Tour of Italy in Last Place

The last placed rider used to get his own black jersey, but these days the maglia nera comes in the form of a black race number and bike plate

Markus Eichler of the Italian Milram squad completed the Giro Saturday more than 4 1/2 hours behind overall winner Alberto Contador. Known as the Maglia Nera, the last place finisher, like the best placed GC, mountian, sprint and young riders, gets his own unique recognition to each day that he is in last place. In previous editions of the Giro, the maglia nera was a black jersey. Today though, it takes the form of a black number and number bike plate, and is used as a means of recognizing those that fight to finish the Giro even though they are wll behind in the classification.

Eichler won the nera going away, finishing a solid 25 minutes behind second to last place Mikhail Ignitiev of the Tinkoff team. And although he finished last, Eichler should be commended for hanging in until the bitter end, and completing the first grand tour of the season. The 26 year old will be able to use his experience in the Giro to build on the rest of his season and career. Plus, he'll be remembered as the nera in future Giro editions.

Eichler shouldn't be confused as a less than accomoplished pro, as the 26 year old has five career victories, including the Ronde van Drenthe in 2006. He'll one day finish much higher in the overall classification of a grand tour, but will always have the memory of his battle in his first try at a grand tour. His effort stands as an example of the spirit of all cyclists: never say die, never give up, and fight to the very end.

Ridin' the High Road: Gorilla and Ciolek Win on the Same Day

The American based High Road team is on fire. In two seperate races on Wednesday, the team netted two wins, behind exemplary riding from their younger riders.

In the Bayerne Rundfhart, it was the 21 year old Gerald Ciolek notching his first win of the year ahead of an on form Fabian Wegmann, while over at the Giro it was Andre "The Gorilla" Greiple who won after a big assist from teammate Mark Cavendish. Cav it seems is going the best of the High Roaders these days, and there should be no question that he gifted the stage to his teammate as a thank you for hard work in previous days.

The High Road squad is riding a CSC-like streak of recent victories as they fly the flag for clean cycling. And with the prestigious Commerce Bank Triple Crown of cycling just around the corner and the Dauphine Libere and Tour de Swiss stage races not long after that, the High Road squad is looking primed for a banner summer.

Congratulations to team owner Bob Stapleton, as he continues to field a competitive team without having to resort to doping for wins. High Road is a young, talented, aggressive outfit that is a handful in any race they enter. Look for them at the front for the rest of season, as they threaten to be the world's #1 team.

Giro Stage 11: Soler Abandons, Visconti Defends Jersey

The Giro d'Italia continued with stage 11, a hilly jaunt the emptied the peloton into the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. The course featured almost constant hills, so the peloton was in for a tough day. And as rainy weather rolled in, the going got tougher for the 199 kilometer stage.

Stage 11 was up and down, a tough stage for all made tougher in rainy conditions

The first casualty was Juan Mauricio Soler, the climbing talent from Barloworld. Suffering from a fractured wrist, Soler dismounted his machine about half way through the stage. He'll regroup for July and another run at the mountains classification competition after an unsuccessful Giro.

Italian champ and current maglia rosa Visconti ws able to hold onto the jersey for another day

Others were involved in crashes, and some big names that hit the tarmac included Levi Leipheimer, Franco Pellizotti, and race leader Giovanni Visconti. And while Leipheimer and Pellizotti escaped unharmed, Visconti was not as lucky. He fell hard on his left arm, and was taken to hospital for x-rays immediately following the race. The results however were negative, and the maglia rosa will remain on his shoulders as he's comfirmed for the start of stage 12.

As the Giro heats up and approaches its final week, the peloton is bcoming more and more nervous, perhaps in anticipaiton of things to come. Over the next few days, it will be very important for all of the GC contenders to stay away from trouble and out of the wind. They'll need all their energy for the coming mountain stages.

Giro Time Trial Stage 10: Contador Arrives

Contador showed his superior time trialing skills again at the Giro d'Italia 2008

After the dust had settled on the 10th stage of the Giro, one name stood above all others as the biggest talking point: Alberto Contador. Last year's Tour de France champion blazed the individual time trial course, slotting the best time of the day among the GC contenders. Riding on a fractured elbow, the Spaniard showed why he is so dangerous. An amazing climber capable of quick accelerations on the steepest ramps, Contador also possesses the ability to take time out of his rivals in the time trial discipline. And he did it again at the Giro, alerting the field and the cycling public that he is a contender in this year's Giro, no matter what he or his team say.

Unlike riders like Riccardo Ricco or Gilberto Simoni, who hope to limit their losses in the time trials, Contador uses them to further increase his lead. He'll be tough adversary for the Giro field the rest of the Tour, a will his Astana team. The other two leaders of the team, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloden, remain toward the top of the GC battle, as the American is about two minutes behind Contador, and teammate Kloden only a minute. As was predicted, the Astana squad will govern the tactics for the rest of the Giro, with three cards still to play.

Other surprises from stage ten? For positive, look no further than the aforementioned Simoni, who conceded only 54 seconds to Contador, and now sits comfortably in 10th place, only two minutes behind Contador. He'll have a chance if he can make Contador suffer in the high passes. For some, the time trial was decidedly negative. One such rider was Danilo Di Luca, who lost 2:03 to Contador, and now lies about a minute and a half from Contador's time. He is still well within striking distance, but he'll need to ride strong in the mountains to have a chance at the overall.

As usual, a time trial in a grand tour has shuffled the deck and revealed the true contenders of the race. Some are better off than others, but very few of the GC riders are out of the competition. All this and more should make the final week and a half at rhe Giro one of the best in recent memory.

Giro Rest Day: Ricco Hot Topic on Giro Rest Day

Riccardo Ricco is one of the hot topics at the Giro, according to Podium Cafe. Ricco, already having earned the nickname "The Ego" from the Podium Cafe fanbase, is being called out by his fellow countrymen as well, including defending Giro champion Danilo Di Luca. "The Killer" seems to feel that Ricco will lose significant time in the uphill time trial to Astana's Andreas Kloden, who has been quiet thus far in the Giro. However, Di Luca too has a good chance on the course, and should contend, as well as several others.

"Il Falco" Paolo Salvodelli will be one of the favorites in the Giro's first time trial

Even Ricco himself isn't conviced of his chances in the time trial, saying "If I lose two minutes, that would be good. I’ve worked a lot on the time trial over the winter, so I am anxious to see how I will do . . . riders such as Savoldelli, Contador, Menchov and Leipheimer will take time on the climbers; there will be other stages to recuperate the lost time."

Don't be so sure, Ricky.

Simoni will find the going tough in the individual time trial

Of the four names mentioned, Contador, Menchov, and Leipheimer are legitimate climbers capable of defending in the high mountains. Contador will be battling through a small fracture on his arm, which could hamper hisability to maintain an aerodynamic position, but Menchov and Leipheimer are at 100%, and will be ready to ride. Ricco should be careful what he claims, as the brash Italian's statements may one day soon fall on deaf ears.

Kloden knows how to suffer in the time trial discipline

In all liklihood, the upcoming time trial will eliminate several GC riders, leaving them too far from the lead to come back. Expect Simoni, Ricco, Karpets, and Nibali to take significant losses on the time trial, while Salvodelli, Di Luca, Leipheimer, Pellizotti, and Vande Velde should have decent rides. Even if Kloden or someone else wins by a significant margin, there is still plenty of racing---and climbing---left in the 2008 Giro d'Italia.

Giro Stage 7 and 8: Di Luca Steals Seconds, Ricco Strikes Again

As he did in last year's Giro, di Luca has used the early stages to take small time increments from his rivals

Danilo di Luca did what many expected him to do in Friday's stage 7 of the Giro, attacking the field on the way to the finish and taking valuable time away from several GC riders. Levi Leipheimer, Dennis Menchov, Andreas Kloden, Franco Pellizotti, and Gilberto Simoni all lost 49 seconds to the 'Killer,' while Juan Antonio Soler, the climbing ace from Barloworld, lost one minute and 26 seconds on the day. Di Luca dragged hiself and two other GC threats with him, as Ricardo Ricco and Alberto Contador were both strong enough to follow last year's champion.

Bettini has spent much of 2008 on the ground, which has hurt his form, not to mention his body

Meanwhile today in stage 8, Riccardo Ricco had his turn and was able to win another stage with his explosive sprint, after the field was thinned by some tough climbs before the finish. Ricco bested Italian compatriot Davide Rebellin, who for the second day was close to victory, but was lacking just that extra little bit of power needed to come around the Saunier Duvall-Scott captain. Also present at the front of today's stage was the world champion Paolo Bettini. 'Il Grillo' hasn't had the best start to his season, as he has suffered multiple crashes that have affected his form negatively in 2008.

Next Saturday's stage is when the real battle for the overall begins

Looking ahead, tomorrow's stage is a flat one, custom-tailored for the fast finishers. Look for Daniele Bennati again at the front of the bunch, as well as Danilo Hondo, and Julian Dean of the Slipstream squad. Race overall leader Giovanni Visconti will have yet another day in the maglia rosa, before Tuesday's mountain time trial. There, Visconti will probably be able to put in a good enough ride against the clock to keep the jersey again. With some luck, the current Italian champion may be able to old the jersey all the way until next Saturday, where he will surely give it up to one of the race favorites.

Tyler Hamilton: Cycling's Lonely Pariah Soldiers On

Tyler Hamilton is a former Olympic gold medalist. He won the world's oldest classic, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, in 2003. He won the prestigious Dauphine Libere stage race in 2000. He finished second in the Giro d'Italia in 2002, and took a stage win. He rode for and against Lance Armstrong during his reign of terror in the early 2000's. And today he finished 119th out of 156 riders at the Tour of Columbia, a stranger in a strange land. It wasn't supposed to turn out this way.

Hamilton rode the 2002 Giro with a broken collar bone, and finished second overall

Tyler Hamilton was long known to his fans and peers as a hard working rider with limitless talent. A former skier, Hamilton found a love for cycling at a young age and quickly rose up the ranks, eventually riding for one of the most successful teams in cycling, the US Postal Service dynasty. It was at Postal that Hamilton was able to learn under fellow American phenom Lance Armstrong. He studied the ways of the Texan closely, and in 2002 made the jump to a different team, in search of his own squad to lead.

In 2002, CSC-Tiscali was a young team searching for its identity under team boss Bjarne Riis. French veteran Laurent Jalabert was the team leader back then, and Hamilton was brought in to carry the torch in stage races as the team's GC leader. He blossomed into the role, and by the time Jalabert retired at the end of 2002, the team was Hamilton's to lead. And lead he did.

Today, the only thing impressive about Hamilton's cycling is his team kit

Under Riis' watchful eye, Hamilton went on an impressive run, taking LBL, a stage and the overall at the Tour of Romandy and a stage in the Tour de France in 2003. By 2004, Hamilton was being mentioned as a real threat to Armstrong's TDF dominance. It was not meant to be. Hamilton crashed in stage 6, and abandoned seven long stages later in stage 13. He would never get a shot at the Tour again.

It was late summer in 2004 at the Vuelta Espana, and Hamilton was looking like a strong GC threat. But news came down that he had failed a blood test, and tested positive for doping. He was immediately kicked out of the race and fired by team Phonak. After a lengthy appeal process, Hamilton was found guilty every step of the way. To date, he has yet to admit that he doped.

Today, Hamilton rides for the only team that will have him, Rock Racing. He works for other suspected dopers, Santiago Botero and Oscar Sevilla among them. Since he returned from his suspension, Hamilton hasn't had one respectable result. He was blown away at the Tour of Georgia, and is being outridden by second rate pros in South America. In what looks like the sad final chapter for Hamilton, he can be seen riding at the back of a bunch on climbs or taking long pulls at the front on the flats for whichever ex-doper he happens to be riding for that day.

Hamilton was allowed to keep his gold medal after his 'B' analysis was mishandled

The next chance for Americans to see Hamilton will come at Philly Week in early June. There, he'll get another crack at some of the world's best as three Pro Tour teams are confirmed. Maybe he'll be competitive, but probably not. After all, the dope is gone, and apparently with it Hamilton's talent to ride a bicycle fast.

Giro Off and Running with TTT in Palermo

Liquigas took the stage one TTT in 2007, and team leader Danilo Di Luca went on to win the overall

The Giro d'Italia, the season's first grand tour, will begin like it did last year: with a team time trial that will establish the initial GC. There are several favorites for the win, and the day should be action packed and exciting. So which teams are most likely to contend? See below for Euro Peloton's views . . .

Slipstream

The Slipstream team will not contend for the overall in the Giro d'Italia, but that doesn't mean they can't take the maglia rosa for a few stages. They bring a powerful line up to the time trial, full of big engines and experience. Two national champions (Millar, Zabriskie) will be on hand to take the time trial reins, along with two big roulers (Backstedt, Dean), an experienced top American time trialist (Vande Velde), and a former junior time trial champion (Pate). They have a very good shot at the win, providing they can perform as well mentally as they do physically. Considering the performance they put in recently at the Tour de Georgia, the 'Argyle Gang' should be considered the most dangeous team in the fight for the TTT title.

Former maglia rosa Pinotti is a respected rider recognized for his integrity and fair play

High Road

Like Slipstream, High Road probably won't be in the picture for the overall Giro title, but they have some excellent time trialists attending the Giro, and if they can send one of the top sprinters over the finish line first, they may be able to keep the jersey for a few stages. Look for Bradley Wiggins to lead the American registered team, as they attempt to put Italian veteran Marco Pinotti into the pink again, like they did in .

Astana

Why can't they? Everyone seem to want to put Astana at a disadvantage because they weren't notified ahead of time for the Giro. What's the big deal? Kloden is on great form, Levi was decent in Georgia, and Gusev is on the upswing following a broken clavicle at the Tour of California. Contado is Contador, the defending Tour de France champ. The four above mentioned riders are all excellent time trialists, and together are more than capable of putting in a great time against the clock. They'll go top five, minimum.

CSC

Bjarne Riis' Danish squad is young and inexperienced, but also very talented. The 1996 TDF winner (no matter what Prudhomme says) Riis always has his troops ready for battle, so expect CSC to put in an excellent ride in the TTT. They may not win it, but they'll knock on the door, as they do in every race they enter.

While the above four teams all have an excellent chance at victory, don't count out Danilo Di Luca and his LPR Brakes team. His teammate, "il falco," Paolo Salvodelli, is a better than average time trialist capable of long pulls at the front. Di Luca realizes the importance of the opening time trial, and will be urging his team on throughout. They may not win, but they won't lose by a ton either. The Giro d'Italia is on tap, the most beautiful stage race in the world!

Slipstream to Giro: All for TTT

The "Argyle gang" will look to pour the bubbly after stage one of the Giro

The Slipstream team will have a golden opportunity to take a grand tour leader's jersey this Saturday at the 91st Giro d'Italia. At 23.6 kilometers long, the team time trial course in Palermo, Sicily will give the "Argyle Gang" a real shot at winning the first stage and putting one of their guys into the Maglia Rosa of race leader. Although a technical course, the team time trial should suit Slipstream well.

British time trial champ Milar will lead Slipstream's efforts in the Giro TTT

If they can manage to take the win on stage one, Slipstream could presumably hold the jersey until stage seven, when the road really begins to turn upward. Stages two through 6 are no cakewalk though, so defending the jersey will be difficult. Expect Slipstream to let the jersey go before stage seven should they be lucky enough to win stage one.

Zabriskie will be a huge part of Slipstream's team time trial team at the Giro

In looking at the team's chances for the entire Giro, there doesn't seem to be anyone riding for the team that can hang tough in the high mountains. Danny Pate and Christian Vande Velde are good climbers, but neither has ever shown themselves capable of following the world's best. Expect the Giro as a whole to be a primer for the young American squad, as they gain valuable knowledge ahead of the July Tour de France.

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.

Astana Giro Bound After Late Invite Comes Through

Trek bikes will once again be at a grand tour, as will Levi, Alberto, and Andreas

RCS Sport, organizers of the Giro d'Italia, have reportedly extended a last minute invite to the Astana team for the upcoming Giro d'Italia. Astana, although not ideally prepared, will still be a great addition to the race. Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer, and recent Tour of Romandy winner Andreas Kloden will all be in Italy for the start, to contest the three week grand tour.

Of the three big guns on Astana that will be racing in Italy, Kloden is probably on the best form currently. But expect Johan Bruyneel's team to keep all of their options open, until one of thier star riders definitively shows they are the best for the overall. Kloden will be motivated and confident after his Romandy win, while Leipheimer and Contador will no doubt ride into form during the race.

The introduction of the Kazakstani team creates an entirely new dynamic for the Giro, as race tactics will change drastically with their inclusion. The peloton will have to mark each Astana rider closely, as all three of their team leaders are capable of changing a race on one stage. When the road tilts upward, it will be a real chore for the other teams to control the race, as Contador, Leipheimer and Kloden are all explosive talents. Each will be able to play their own hands on the high mountains, to the peril of the other teams.

So the only remaining question is why did RCS change their minds and suddenly invite Astana? Could this have to do with the UCI's recent announcement that a 'top rider' failed the biological passport program? Could the rider in question be one of the protagonists for the Giro? And if so, will one of the teams invited to the Giro be suddenly uninvited? The next few days should answer most of these questions, as the year's first grand tour prepares to commence this coming weekend.

Gilberto Simoni and the Giro d'Italia 2008: The Final Act

Gilberto Simoni has been cycling at a high level for a long time. He began his career way back in 1994, and has shown himself at the front of many big races ever since. A small, explosive climber, Simoni has managed to win two Giro d'Italia's despite the fact that he is not an excellent time trialist. He has done so in the high mountains, isolating and then destroying his adversaries in dominant style.

Simoni's best days, and both Giro victories, were with the powerhouse Saeco teams in the early 2000's

Today though, things are different for the aging Italian star. Gone is the seemingly endless power and energy, replaced by glimpses of his past form. Simoni can still ride at a high level, but even he admits that he doesn't have the spark of past years. Still, the Italian legend will line up again in 2008 at his favorite race, the Giro d'Itlalia, to contest the overall victory, probably for the final time.

Simoni fueded with Cunego in the 2004 Giro, but was ultimately classy in defeat

Simoni is an interesting rider in that he possesses the Italian flare that so many past Italian champions are known for. But Simoni takes things further than some of his contemporaries, often speaking his mind at his own peril. He quarelled with then teammate Damiano Cunego in the 2004 Giro, making no secret of the fact that he felt betrayed by the young up and coming climber, who bested Simoni en route to the overall 2004 title. Then, in 2006, Simoni was openly critical of fellow Italian Ivan Basso and his "extra-terrestrial" capabilities in the mountains. Several weeks later, Basso would be kicked out of the Tour de France for alleged doping, and Simoni's comments were vindicated, at least in the court of public opinion.

"Gibo" will contest the marathon mountain biking event in this year's Olympics in Beijing

Gilberto Simoni, and riders like him, are good for cycling. Always willing to speak his mind and give his opinion, Simoni adds drama and intrigue to any race he enters. And like many past champions, Simoni is never afraid of a new challenge. He has set his sights on challenging the world in the marathon mountain bike discipline in this year's upcoming summer Olympics, and also chose to ride this past year's Monte Paschi Eroica, the race on Italy's "white gravel" roads. Hopefully this year, like last year, Simoni will be able to wring one last stage victory out of his beloved Giro. And with a helpful portion of luck, perhaps the tiny climber can dream about the overall victory one last time.