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12 May 2006

13 May News ...

Armstrong in Tabiano Terme

Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner, was with the Discovery Channel team all day yesterday. The retired American rode with the team in the morning, and then followed, with Johan Bruyneel, in the team car as Disco raced the stage 5 Giro d'Italia time trial.

Lance, how his your form? "Well, I am glad I don't race anymore. You see the hills around here, they are tough. ... Now I spend my day mixing business with fun," explained Armstrong to BiciRace.com from the Bomerang Hotel in Tabiano Terme.

Have you seen Ullrich her in Italy? Do you think he is fat? "No. I have yet to see Ullrich here. I don't know. I do know he will be fit in July."

Armstrong left us to have lunch with the team, probably taking a second helpings this year. All of the Giro d'Italia is excited to have il Texano along for the race. We look forward to seeing him back for the final weekend. Ciao!

Danielson on BiciRace.com

Tom Danielson, after a training ride with team before the afternoon team time trial. "BiciRace.com is great. I check it all the time for updates on the Italian news. The news, like on Cunego, is there first on your site." Thanks Tom! Good luck today. "Thanks. It will be an important day for the team."

Bella Crono for Basso and CSC

"In my head I was calm," said Ivan Basso after his team CSC won stage 5 of the Giro d'Italia, a 35K team crono. (Note: the event was shortened by 3K, from 38K) "Even for the last three days, I knew the team crono would be fine. I said before, 'I have trust in my team.' They have worked a lot to guide me through this Giro, so I have trust in them."

"It was a bella day. The win was big for us, but the parties end tonight. Tomorrow is another day of racing," continued Basso. "This weekend I will approach with attention, like always. This is the team's philosophy: to be prepared on every stage. Even tomorrow, which will likely be a sprint, we will be ready."

What do you think about Lance Armstrong saying that he is concerned about you being overworked before the Tour de France? "I did not decide to do the Giro based on what Armstrong says, or doesn't say. I did it because this is what I wanted to do the Giro. I am more prepared than last year. Last year I did not have the right lead-up to the race, for personal reasons, that I don't want to talk about. This year I am better prepared."

Rosa to Honchar

Serhiy Honchar (T-Mobile) took the Maglia Rosa from Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) in yesterday's crono squadre, a 35K test from Piacenza to Cremona. The change of la Maglia Rosa marked the only movement in the four big overall classifications. Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) still holds la Maglia Ciclamino, for stage win points, Sandy Casar (Française Des Jeux) is in la Maglia Verde, for mountain points, and Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel) holds the Maglia Blu, for the the Intergiro competition.

Honchar's new maglia will look great with the colors of his pink posse. The T-Mobile boys should easily defend the jersey in today's stage 6, from Busseto to Forlì (227K, stage profile). The 227K parcours are dead-flat and should be chance for McJet to add points to his Ciclamino jersey.

Monte Catria on Saturday

BiciRace.com looks to Saturday's stage 7 of the Giro d'Italia, from Cesena to Saltara, to really bust up the classification. The stage, from Cesena to Saltara, will be the longest of the Giro at 230K. Many consider it to be the first true mountain test of this year's Corsa Rosa, containing the Monte Catria and the Monte delle Cesane. [stage profile]

Remember, Marco Pinotti previewed this course after the Tirreno-Adriatico (see report), and found it to be very challenging. Then, on the eve of Milano-Sanremo, BiciRace.com talked with Pinotti, Gilberto Simoni and Pietro Algeri over a buffet of cold cuts, and all of them were expressing great fear for this stage. (Read Simoni interview.)

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

11 May News ...