[Giro 2003]Giro Prognostications

Giro Reporter race-report@cyclofiend.com
Thu, 15 May 2003 19:03:33 -0700


Despite the best attempts of computers, cable companies, nor-cal weather
and nasty spring colds, the 2003 Giro D'Italia looms large.

This season's race has an odd combination of "Who's Missing" and "Will
they do it?"  Regardless, there are enough new wrinkles to the course
that it should be an epic race.  They'll drop straight into a road
stage, so Mario Cipollini will not have the chance to get fined for
wearing an outlandish outfit.

On the downside, last years winner Paolo Savoldelli, 2nd place rider
Tyler Hamilton and such animators as Cadel Evans have directed their
attention and training toward the Tour de France, making race for the
Maglia Rosa in Milan wide open.

The focus on Lance's "Drive for Five" will have to be set aside while
Mario Cipollini and his zebra-stripe-clad team of Domina-Vacanza try to
tie Alfredo Binda's long-standing record of 41 Giro stage victories.
After his emotional World Championship victory last season, and the
tremendous wins he had, his challenge will be to see if his 38 year old
legs can still push him to the front of the bunch.

Gilberto Simoni of Saeco has been mounting a campaign of words to put
himself into the Maglia Rosa this year.  His dentist - no..his throat
candies had a little something extra in it last year, which resulted in
him being asked not to continue the 2002 Giro.  It will be interesting
to see if he can back up his predictions. Although he doesn't have a
weak team, it will be interesting to see who can assist him on the
stronger climbs.

One of the quiet men seems to be Stephano Garzelli.  After being ejected
from last year's Giro for a positive test for Probenicid, and arguably
being one of the final straws which broke Mapei's sponsorship, he's been
out of racing for nearly a year. That's still one of the stranger
suspensions, and I must admit a personal bias towards wanting to see
Garzelli redeem himself.

Hopefully Lampre's Francesco Casagrande will let his riding rather than
his fists do the talking.  Ejected last year for "aggressive behavior"
while disputing a KoM spot, he has a great history of wonderful rides
punctuated by dismal failures. Perhaps riding in pink and purple of the
Lampre squad will humble him enough to concentrate on riding.  But, they
did team him up with Wladimir Belli, who got ejected for popping a
spectator, so who knows...

Another of the soap-opera Italian riders is Dario Frigo of Fassa
Bortolo.  After a suspension, he's back again, and arguably the most
serious of the comeback kids.  His form has been good in spring races.
The only thing he needs to avoid is his tendancy to crack in time trials.

Yaraslav Popyvich is another rider who quietly put himself into many of
the breaks last year.  He's an very strong young rider who might just
have moderate anonimity in his favor. He is riding for
Landbouwkrediet-Colnago, a typo just waiting to happen...

Up in the hills, Julio Perez will be waiting for the inclines to pitch
to impossible before he rolls away and attacks.  One of the few pure
climbers around, he has managed the KoM jersey with the results of
spectacular climbing efforts.

Believe it or not, Marco Pantani still rides his bike.  He's either
going to fail miserably or regain some measure of form.  It's been sad t
watch him suffer on the climbs after electrifying the world with his
prowess.

Of course, there's a ton of miles lying before them, as they begin in
the southernmost bit of Italy.  Starting in the boot area, they will
work their way onto the isle of Sicily before heading north to the
serious climbing, massive stages and a finish in Milan on June 1st.

As last year, I'll try to keep you up to date with the racing, between
gulps of coffee.

Cheers!

-- Jim