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23 May 2006

24 May News ...

Bettini Wins Giro: A Comeback of Sorts

Paolo Bettini finally got a well deserved win. After his early season crash, and several tries in the Giro d'Italia, Il Grillo Livornese won stage 15 to Brescia. "After Tirreno-Adriatico, it was a bit of a relief to finally get this win here," said an always enthusiastic Bettini after the win.

You might wonder what all the fuss is about Il Grillo. Bettini, apart from his palmarès, is loved for his charisma. The other day, at the start in Livorno, he was riding around the start village with his daughter on his handlebars; For quotes or an interview he is always talkative, never letting the conversation go dry. Apart from being Olympic Champion, he is an all-around good guy.

Bettini continued... "I searched from the first stage for a win, and now finally it has arrived. It was as a hard time between Tirreno and now. The whole time, including the Classics, my legs turned but I could not manage a win. Tonight all is better."

Do you think that without the big sprint teams there is more confusion? "I miss McEwen. [Laughs.] No... Dai! I love to steal from the sprinters. Alessandro Petacchi at the Vuelta, and Robbie... When they have their big sprint trains in motion it works well for me. Just like a collection of Classics, it is also nice to have a collection of wins against the big sprinters."

Bettini does not really have many more chances for victory in this Giro d'Italia, but he has stated that he will remain on la Corsa Rosa. "I will be fine on Monte Bondone," continued il Livornese. "With my current condition I should be able to continue in the Giro, and then Wednesday on the Plan de Corones.

"Most of the roads in Italy I know well. Tomorrow is unknown, but should be a relaxed day for me. I will make my race a race to arrive at the finish in time. There is not so much stress for me like on the classification riders." Stage 16 takes the riders over two GPMs, the final being the Monte Bondone, 17.4K of climbing, with an average gradient of 7.9%.

"Wednesday, the Plan de Crones, will be even harder. At 133K kilometers, it will wear all of us out. Truly tiring. Then the last real stage of the Giro, the penultimate stage... Oh mamma! With the Mortirolo and Aprica."

But Bettini makes his intentions for finishing in Milano clear: "A lot abandon at the Giro, and everyone wants to make it to the Champs-Élysées in the Tour. I think that if Petacchi was here today, then I would have arrived second. But for the last two years it has been McEwen. He races the Giro, abandons, and then thinks of the Tour. Sometimes all three tours. Last year, at the Vuelta, I needed to leave a few days earlier, thinking of the Worlds. But usually I race to make it to the end."

The media attention on Bettini is large, and every night he watches the Giro Review coverage to hear his name talked about. After stage 15, he provided the Italian television good news to report, "This time I am thankful... I was tired of hearing 'Giro at Night' about my misses. Us racers get our massages and then have dinner with the Giro nightly review on TV... I needed to win. I was tired of hearing that Bettini missed out!"

The other big news for Bettini tifosi is the possibility of him leaving Patrick Lefevere at the end of the season. Quick-Step has become too tight with both the current Olympic Champion and World Champion, Tom Boonen, in their ranks. "Pat and I have talked about the team. We decided to talk about it all after the Giro finishes. I think that being in the same team with Boonen is too much, and that it is better if I am in another team. When Boonen is not at a race I am able to win more often. But it is a great team, good for the Classics, good for me. Maybe we could make small changes to have it work out for me to stay. Pat and I need to talk after the Giro, and work out a plan."

What do you think about Danilo Di Luca, missing the Classics, and going for the Giro overall classification? "Di Luca did a great Giro the year before. If he did not train for the Giro this year then he could have done well in Classics again this year... with wins. To do the Classics you have to be at your best, and he was training for the Giro. Next year I will be 33 years-old and I have never tried for the classification, but he is 30 years-old now and wanted to try to win. Basso at the Tour and Giro, it is right. He has been trying for years and it takes time to be at your best. Sure Di Luca won the Baby Giro but that is different. I think that he has to keep trying to win the Giro.

Who do you think will win the Giro this year? "I think Basso is looking the best, but it is a long Giro. You remember the Stelvio last year? The race is three weeks, so we will have to wait and see. He is really one of my friends, and I would like to see him win. It is a tough Giro. With no real rest days: we have been traveling and arriving at the hotels late. It is really a difficult Giro this year. Different than all the others. ... Vediamo."

Mio GPS at Giro d'Italia

Mio Digi Walker brings Belgian GPS Solutions to Italy. The Belgian company, Mio, has joined the growing number of companies who choose to promote their products via the Giro d'Italia. Every morning they are at the start village, and every afternoon they can be found at the arrivo.

The Belgian company provides GPS solutions for car and mobile phones. Full color displays and smart, compact designs are what helps Mio stand out. They are the number one provider of GPS solutions in Belgium, and, after three years of business here, second in Italy.

BiciRace.com thanks Mio, and all the other sponsors, that help make the Giro d'Italia a possibility. Please visit the Mio Digi Walker website for more information: MioGPS.it

Tom and Pat at the Partenza

BiciRace.com had a chance to chat with Patrick McCarty (Phonak) and Tom Danielson (Discovery Channel) at the start of stage 15, in Mergozzo. We talked about the upcoming week, especially the stage to Monte Bondone.

"It is not going to be a big explosion, like everyone thinks," said Danielson. "It will be more a war of attrition."

"Yes, yesterday [stage 14] I was suffering," added McCarty. "I was doing all I could to stay in the gruppetto."

"Stay with Tom," BiciRace.com added. McCarty replied, "Yes, for about the first kilometer, and then 'ciao!'"

We wished Gli Americani luck as they departed on the flat stage, the calm before the storm, if you will.

Hoste Has Confirmed Move to Davitamon

28 year old Belgian, Leif Hoste, has decided to look for greener pastures at the Davitamon Lotto camp. Hoste has agreed to a two year deal with the Belgian team in what looks like a good move, especially with the rapidly aging Peter Van Petegem nearing his retirement. PVP's imminent departure should give Hoste leadership status at the Classics, where he excels most as a rider.

Hoste is no stranger to the Belgian team having ridden for them in 2003 and 2004. The reasons cited for his move are financial and also being in a more familiar environment.

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

22 May News ...