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7 May 2006

Falco Bergamasco Blasts Giro

Il Falco Bergamasco blasted yesterday's course of the 2006 Giro d'Italia to take the stage and overall leadership. His finishing time of 7'50" demonstrated a strong early showing over the other GC favorites: 19" better than Di Luca, 23" Basso, 25" Cunego, 26" Simoni and 39" Rujano. Even if we will be talking minutes in the last week of the Giro, Savoldelli now has a mental domination his opponents, like his old teammate, Armstrong, used to practice in le Tour. "It is not as if the others went slow, I was able to go a little stronger than planned," said Il Falco, who is enjoying his 33rd birthday today in the Maglia Rosa.

"I am used to these short and technical time trials, but I confess that I am a little surprised to have won," continued Savoldelli, who won the Tour de Romandie opening crono eleven days earlier. "When I arrived at the top of the climb [at -2.25K] they told me I had 10" on McGee, and I thought that maybe that was a mistake. It seemed wrong to me. On the descent I had hoped to gain a little time and not make a mistake. At this point on the radio I heard: 'Go for the win!'"

"I think I will lose the Maglia Rosa soon," said il Falco referring to today's "sprinter's stage" of 197K. "Today there are 20 bonus seconds on offer to the winner. But, I will be able to wear the jersey to the finish in Charleroi. ... I have to go stronger [in the final week] than last year, without a day of crisis."

Discovery Channel Team DS, Johann Bruyneel, was excited with the coup his team's leader: "It was like a time trial of Armstrong."

89th Giro d'Italia, 6 - 28 May
Main, Startlist, Classifications, Giro Favorites
Stages and Maps, Key Stages, Overall Map
Photos, The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap
Aaron Olson and Saunier Duval-Prodir Updates
2005 Giro d'Italia

Armstrong Proud of Paolino

Lance Armstrong, former World Champion and 7X Tour winner, was impressed with the strength demonstrated by his old Disco teammate, Paolo Savoldelli, in stage 1 of the Giro d'Italia. "I am very, very proud of Paolino," said Il Cowboy from his ranch in Texas.

"I followed all of the stage on the internet. Paolo really did an incredible ride. He started off strong and kept his tightness for the whole run. He did a great ride. ... The Giro is long, but he as started off very well. He has all of my trust, and all of the trust from the team."

Basso Talks Seconds

Ivan Basso (CSC), Lance Armstrong's old rival, finished the 6.2 kilometers of the Giro's opener 23 seconds back on Savoldelli. The Italian Stallion did not look as strong as the rider we saw in the Critérium International or in the Torino TT last year, but then there are still another 3520K to race in this 89th Giro d'Italia.

"It went good enough," said Basso after finishing the course with a time of 8'13". "It could have gone better. A little bit better. Four or five seconds faster. My point of reference is to the specialist, like Bradley McGee, who went 12 seconds faster."

The parcours, tight and technical, were not really ideal for Ivan Basso, and were more suited for Il Falco Bergamasco. "I was not slow, it was Savoldelli who went strong. He did an extraordinary time. This shows that he is strong... Stronger than one year ago. But all of the other rivals are there too. All of us finished close to the top."

There are still 3520 kilometers remaining, and Basso remains focused: "I am not going to stress over a few seconds. There are still 50 kilometers of time trialing, there is the team time trial and there are still many mountains that will serve well to distance the other riders. It [Stage 1] was not a catastrophe. A catastrophe is when you vomit, you have a cold and a fever, and you lose an hour, like I did last year on lo Stelvio."

Cipollini on CSC Crew

Mario Cipollini thinks that Basso and Team CSC's poor performance had to do with their training leading to the 89th Corsa Rosa. "For Basso, with respect to what we were expecting, it was a disappointing stage one," said il Re Leone, who knows a few things about short opening time trials.

"They say that before the Giro, Team CSC went out for a ride of 300K. I would not like that Ivan arrives to the crono bogged-down from an overload of training. For the others, Julich and Voigt, this could explain their lack of brilliance. But look at Sastre. He was called into the team at the last moment, and went better than what was expected."

"Was it an error to have had the team work so hard with the Giro right at the door? It is clear that when you train you need to be attentive to becoming 'emptied': you can often fall into this trap... Even I have done this. But I don't believe that Riis and Basso have erred in their preparations."

Cipollini is a wise man. BiciRace.com agrees with Il Re Leone: Basso and the hardworking CSC crew have a plan for this Giro d'Italia. Vediamo!

Darlin' Don't You Go and Cut Your Hair

I'm just a boy with a new haircut. / And that's a pretty nice haircut. - Pavement

Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) has cut his flowing hair which he had been nurturing since the winter. "It's shorter and lighter, so I will sweat less in the mountains," Ullrich said from Belgium. "If it was any shorter, then I'd be in trouble with my girlfriend Sara."

Ulle, with his new haircut, lost 49 seconds to Savoldelli on the Seraing TT parcours. The Giro d'Italia is only for preparation for the Tour de France, but we hope he snatches a stage victory before Milano.

Ulle reminded BiciRace.com: "I am 100% focused on the Tour."

5 May News ...