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Tour De France Champion to Headline the Giro d’Italia Tour de France Champion to Headline the Giro d’Italia
(about 2 hours later)
With its systemic corruption, fractious leadership, an entrenched code of silence and some of its members recently embroiled in a high-profile drug trial, professional cycling these days often seems to resemble organized crime more than sport.With its systemic corruption, fractious leadership, an entrenched code of silence and some of its members recently embroiled in a high-profile drug trial, professional cycling these days often seems to resemble organized crime more than sport.
Fitting, then, that the cycling world will gather in Naples on Saturday — not for Camorra-like clandestine meetings, but to start the Giro d’Italia, the three-week Grand Tour that signals the start of the sport’s high season.Fitting, then, that the cycling world will gather in Naples on Saturday — not for Camorra-like clandestine meetings, but to start the Giro d’Italia, the three-week Grand Tour that signals the start of the sport’s high season.
Recent editions of the Giro have been short on star power, but organizers have managed to up the wattage considerably this year by attracting Bradley Wiggins, the defending Tour de France champion, to headline the 21-stage race that will span 3,405 kilometers, or 2,116 miles.Recent editions of the Giro have been short on star power, but organizers have managed to up the wattage considerably this year by attracting Bradley Wiggins, the defending Tour de France champion, to headline the 21-stage race that will span 3,405 kilometers, or 2,116 miles.
Well before knighthood was bestowed upon the Team Sky captain last New Year’s Eve, Wiggins was adamant that he would aim at this Giro — and leave the Tour de France, which starts in late June, to his teammate, Chris Froome.Well before knighthood was bestowed upon the Team Sky captain last New Year’s Eve, Wiggins was adamant that he would aim at this Giro — and leave the Tour de France, which starts in late June, to his teammate, Chris Froome.
Though Wiggins equivocated on his Tour goals during a news conference Monday, saying he was “capable” of defending his 2012 title — which, predictably, set English sports pages alight and shocked Froome enough to issue a statement stating he would have his team’s “full backing” in June — it is clear that the Giro will be Wiggins’s best chance for a Grand Tour this season.Though Wiggins equivocated on his Tour goals during a news conference Monday, saying he was “capable” of defending his 2012 title — which, predictably, set English sports pages alight and shocked Froome enough to issue a statement stating he would have his team’s “full backing” in June — it is clear that the Giro will be Wiggins’s best chance for a Grand Tour this season.
Froome will not be there, nor will the Spaniard Alberto Contador — both are busy preparing for the Critérium du Dauphiné, the annual warm-up for the Tour in June. Also absent is the American Tejay van Garderen, who will ride the Amgen Tour of California in mid-May, and two-time Giro winner Ivan Basso, forced to withdraw from the race earlier this week by a cyst in his saddle area.Froome will not be there, nor will the Spaniard Alberto Contador — both are busy preparing for the Critérium du Dauphiné, the annual warm-up for the Tour in June. Also absent is the American Tejay van Garderen, who will ride the Amgen Tour of California in mid-May, and two-time Giro winner Ivan Basso, forced to withdraw from the race earlier this week by a cyst in his saddle area.
But that does not mean Wiggins can soft-pedal to Brescia, where the race ends May 26.But that does not mean Wiggins can soft-pedal to Brescia, where the race ends May 26.
Vincenzo Nibali, third in the Tour de France last year, leads a pack of Italian climbers looking for a victory on home turf. The defending Giro champion Ryder Hesjedal, a Canadian rider on Garmin-Sharp, along with the Australian Cadel Evans, the 2011 Tour winner, are also part of the 207-man start list.Vincenzo Nibali, third in the Tour de France last year, leads a pack of Italian climbers looking for a victory on home turf. The defending Giro champion Ryder Hesjedal, a Canadian rider on Garmin-Sharp, along with the Australian Cadel Evans, the 2011 Tour winner, are also part of the 207-man start list.
“This Giro field is the strongest in a long time,” Hesjedal said in a phone interview last week. “People want to take advantage of the biggest races these days, not necessarily sit around and wait for the Tour de France.”“This Giro field is the strongest in a long time,” Hesjedal said in a phone interview last week. “People want to take advantage of the biggest races these days, not necessarily sit around and wait for the Tour de France.”
Hesjedal is attempting to become the first back-to-back winner of the Giro since Miguel Indurain in 1992-93. He changed little from a training program that helped him capture the maglia rosa (pink jersey) a year ago: riding at home in Maui, Hawaii, until late February, then onto Europe for some short stage races and one-day classics, like Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Wiggins, by contrast, overhauled his typical early season calendar to prepare for the Giro. Last year, he piled up victories at stage races like Paris-Nice; this March, he skipped France and decamped to Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, to hone his climbing skills at high altitude.Hesjedal is attempting to become the first back-to-back winner of the Giro since Miguel Indurain in 1992-93. He changed little from a training program that helped him capture the maglia rosa (pink jersey) a year ago: riding at home in Maui, Hawaii, until late February, then onto Europe for some short stage races and one-day classics, like Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Wiggins, by contrast, overhauled his typical early season calendar to prepare for the Giro. Last year, he piled up victories at stage races like Paris-Nice; this March, he skipped France and decamped to Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, to hone his climbing skills at high altitude.
Wiggins, a former track cyclist, is known as a better time trialist than climber. But though the race features more than 92 kilometers of time trialing, including a demanding 19.4-kilometer hill climb on Stage 18, he knows that this Giro will be won on the mountain stages.Wiggins, a former track cyclist, is known as a better time trialist than climber. But though the race features more than 92 kilometers of time trialing, including a demanding 19.4-kilometer hill climb on Stage 18, he knows that this Giro will be won on the mountain stages.
“A year ago, that was the thing that always concerned me, whether I was going to hold out on the climbs,” Wiggins said Monday. “But after what we’ve done this year, I think I’ve got more confidence and belief in my climbing ability than ever.”“A year ago, that was the thing that always concerned me, whether I was going to hold out on the climbs,” Wiggins said Monday. “But after what we’ve done this year, I think I’ve got more confidence and belief in my climbing ability than ever.”
The Giro is often considered the most grueling of the Grand Tours, which also include the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. It is a physically demanding challenge that can be, at times, absurdly so. In 2009, the peloton staged a protest after a series of dangerous stages, including one where Spanish rider Pedro Horrillo ended up in a coma after a mountain crash.The Giro is often considered the most grueling of the Grand Tours, which also include the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. It is a physically demanding challenge that can be, at times, absurdly so. In 2009, the peloton staged a protest after a series of dangerous stages, including one where Spanish rider Pedro Horrillo ended up in a coma after a mountain crash.
This edition is no exception: There will be seven summit finishes, including the one on Stage 15, which concludes atop the Col du Galibier in the French Alps, the only foray into foreign territory this year. (Sprint fans can take solace, though — there will be enough flat stages this year to showcase England’s Mark Cavendish, the strongest speedster in the field.)This edition is no exception: There will be seven summit finishes, including the one on Stage 15, which concludes atop the Col du Galibier in the French Alps, the only foray into foreign territory this year. (Sprint fans can take solace, though — there will be enough flat stages this year to showcase England’s Mark Cavendish, the strongest speedster in the field.)
The official line is that the Galibier stage is in honor of Italian Marco Pantani’s triumph on the mountain during the 1998 Tour de France.The official line is that the Galibier stage is in honor of Italian Marco Pantani’s triumph on the mountain during the 1998 Tour de France.
But it is clear that Giro director Michele Acquarone, in his second year, is trying to position the race to be as big a global brand as the Tour.But it is clear that Giro director Michele Acquarone, in his second year, is trying to position the race to be as big a global brand as the Tour.
Since 1996, the Giro has regularly opened with stages in a foreign country — the Grande Partenza, or big start, next year will take place in Ireland. And in 2014, the Giro ownership group, R.C.S. Sport, will follow the Tour owner, Amaury Sport Organization, to the Middle East with the Tour of Dubai.Since 1996, the Giro has regularly opened with stages in a foreign country — the Grande Partenza, or big start, next year will take place in Ireland. And in 2014, the Giro ownership group, R.C.S. Sport, will follow the Tour owner, Amaury Sport Organization, to the Middle East with the Tour of Dubai.
“If the Tour is Wimbledon, then we can be Roland Garros,” Acquarone told the cycling Web site VeloNews earlier this year, referring to the French Open. Here’s to hoping that as the Giro evolves, organizers match the French Tennis Federation in preserving the event’s unique personality.“If the Tour is Wimbledon, then we can be Roland Garros,” Acquarone told the cycling Web site VeloNews earlier this year, referring to the French Open. Here’s to hoping that as the Giro evolves, organizers match the French Tennis Federation in preserving the event’s unique personality.
While every meter of the Tour route has been meticulously mapped out years in advance, the Giro’s map often has been finished on the fly: Financial problems have delayed road work in Florence? Landslides in Sorrento? Non c’è problema, we’ll change the route.While every meter of the Tour route has been meticulously mapped out years in advance, the Giro’s map often has been finished on the fly: Financial problems have delayed road work in Florence? Landslides in Sorrento? Non c’è problema, we’ll change the route.
And outlandish ideas, like the failed proposal to start the race last year in Washington D.C, are not shunned, but embraced with open arms.And outlandish ideas, like the failed proposal to start the race last year in Washington D.C, are not shunned, but embraced with open arms.
Even riders recognize that the cycling world does not need a carbon copy of the Tour de France.Even riders recognize that the cycling world does not need a carbon copy of the Tour de France.
On Monday, Wiggins said he was looking forward to the Giro because the race’s fans were less “pompous” than at the Tour.On Monday, Wiggins said he was looking forward to the Giro because the race’s fans were less “pompous” than at the Tour.
Hesjedal, ever the calm and diplomatic Canadian, perhaps parsed the differences better.Hesjedal, ever the calm and diplomatic Canadian, perhaps parsed the differences better.
“I think there’s more of a passion for the sport in Italy, for their race, than maybe in the Tour,” he said. “In the Tour, it’s a big show, and the cycling doesn’t seem to matter as much: People come from all over the world. I think the Giro has a little more passion, a little more nationalism to it.”“I think there’s more of a passion for the sport in Italy, for their race, than maybe in the Tour,” he said. “In the Tour, it’s a big show, and the cycling doesn’t seem to matter as much: People come from all over the world. I think the Giro has a little more passion, a little more nationalism to it.”