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24 May 2006

25 May News ...

Very Lance Like: Ivan

Ivan Basso, winner of Giro d'Italia stage 16 on the seldom used slopes of Monte Bondone, has proved his worth in la Maglia Rosa. Il Varesino of Team CSC crushed Gilberto Simoni and left the rest of his GC rivals weeping on the slopes.

Basso's win, while wearing the leader's jersey, was even more special: "To win in the Maglia Rosa is a huge satisfaction," he said after the stage before the rain started to drench the Trento mountainside. "You know I am not very fast in the sprints, so I don't have many chances to win. For me to win is always important, so to win a stage, and in the Maglia Rosa is great."

"I took the previous stage and took the maglia in the process, then I was really satisfied with the stage at Pontedera, and now... I don't really have any special stages to win. To win the Giro d'Italia is the most important objective. But really, today was great. I enjoyed winning a stage like this on Monte Bondone. Surely in my life there are not many times to win like this, and it is special."

Which stage do you value the most? "This discussion is becoming normal for me now, but any win is still a special emotion. I don't know if this or the stage to Passo Lanciano is more important."

The Italian Stallion is not home free: Tomorrow, the Passo delle Erbe and the finish on the Plan de Corones, will rip the socks off the riders. Simoni will use his climbing might on the steeper slopes to try to put Basso in difficulty.

What gearing will you use to confront Plan de Crones? "I have not yet decided what I will use. I think it will be a compact setup, but I will let the mechanics decide tomorrow. ... There will always be places for Simoni to attack, so we have to keep our team ready, and to defend. I am in great condition now, but I know Simoni is a hard opponent."

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

McCarty Protecting Guti

BiciRace.com spoke with our new friend, Patrick McCarty (Phonak), at the start of stage 16. Il Texano was kind enough to explain to us what his team would be doing in the coming mountain stages.

"We have Guti in second overall," said McCarty while searching for a place to relax before the stage. "My job is to look after him, and the team will try to protect his second place. CSC is so strong that they will control the race."

Guti? "Yes, José Enrique Gutierrez. All these Spanish guys have nicknames." Do you speak in Spanish? "No, English. It is the only language I really know, but luckily it is a good language to know."

We left McCarty while he was being photographed. Il Texano gets a lot of press because he is the only rider in the peloton with a mustache.

Moreni Back for Suisse

Cristian Moreni (Cofidis) was walking around the start of stage area of stage 16 in Rovato, not too far from where he lives. The Italian dropped out of the Giro d'Italia after a crash, but is now recovering with short two to three hour rides.

"I have been going out for short rides," explain Moreni with a smile. "My first race back will be the Tour de Suisse (10 - 18 June) and then the Italian Championships."

Will you try to retake the tricolore jersey? "Yes. That would be great. But really my goal is to win a stage at the Tour de France. I hope this pause will do my body well for the upcoming races."

Sacchi Does 18

Fabio Sacchi (Milram) set a new unofficial record: carrying 18 water bottles. In stage 15, the day of Sacchi's birthday, il Milanese took 18 bottles with him from the team car back to the peloton to distribute to his teammates.

Sacchi goal was to beat the record of a Quick-Step rider, who did 16 bottles a few days before. Will you try for more? "Yes. I will go for more bottles on the last stage into Milano."

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Saiz Free After Doping Interrogation

After being detained by the Spanish Guardia Civil yesterday for possession of doping products, Manolo Saíz, team manager of Liberty Seguros-Würth, has been set free. Saíz was arrested yesterday in Madrid along with José Luis Merino and Eufemiano Fuentes, both doctors at a Madrid laboratory. Still in Guardia Civil custody are two others: Spanish professional mountain bike racer, Alberto León and Comunidad Valenciana director, José Ignacio Labarta.

The investigation will now focus on the purpose of the seized bag of doping products. It is alleged that the products are used for doping. Also present were products for blood doping, which is far more difficult to detect.
- Paco

Basso Doesn't Have Everything

Ivan Basso may be well on his way to his first major tour championship, and in convincing fashion to boot. There may be little any commentator can add to describe his effortless winning performances on every difficult stage so far in this Giro d'Italia. Today, as he shed challenger after challenger, he barely seemed to break a sweat. Basically, he has the peloton in the palm of his hand.

What he doesn't have, as yet, is a suitable nickname.

This isn't a fatal flaw; after all, Lance and Greg LeMond had nothing much to speak of and still managed OK. But for an Italian to go without one is a Cycling sin. Look back: Cipollini was Super Mario, the Lion King, and god knows what else. Pantani (speaking of demi-gods) was il Pirate and Elefantino, to name two. DiLuca is "Il Killer di Spoltore"; Simoni is the Spider, Petacchi is Ale-Jet... and they have custom paint jobs on their bikes to prove it. So for Basso to take his place in the Pantheon of Italian Cycling champions, well... something must be done.

Over at the Podium Cafe (www.podiumcafe.com), we've kicked around a few ideas, and I'll add a few more to consider. Frankly, there's no clear winner. We need your help. We can't do this alone.

First, what's out there is inadequate. Basso has been called "the Italian Stallion" and "the Smiling Assassin." The first one is too general -- it could describe about 100 riders -- and anyway it raises copyright issues. So that's out. The second one reminds me of how one particularly putrid writer used to call Bjorn Borg the "angelic assassin." High cringe factor. Let's move on.

From the Podium Cafe readers... the best of the lot was Basso-Matic: it slices, it dices. High clever factor, but since this is aimed at an Italian audience too, the obscure reference to mid-70s Saturday Night Live skits doesn't fly. Some other ideas to dismiss: Striped Basso, Holder of the Suitcase of Courage, and He Who Crushes All Who Oppose Him. Yes, that Podium Cafe is a hotbed of creativity.

Basso Profundo... someone threw this one out there as a joke, but I think it's very classy. Let's hang on to this one.

"Basso" is Italian for "low", so Lay-em-Low Basso? You can see this is not easy.

Ivan the Terrible is out there, but this is a guy who's smiling all day. Next...

Double Trouble? Something with the word Double has to be considered.

Il Patrone! That's coming next, regardless of what anyone thinks.

This exercise is reminding me a lot of picking out kids' names. Not easy. If you have suggestions or preferences of anything listed above, email me at poiumcafe@yahoo.com. Thanks!
- Chris

23 May News ...