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89th Giro d'Italia - presented by

Stage 16, Rovato - Trento/Monte Bondone, 173K

23 May

Dust Devil's Daily Wrap
Il Giro Magico Basso!

Dust Devil's Daily Wrap, Stage List, Stage Profile, Photos

Ivan Basso proved that he is unbeatable today. I have been saying that all along. But today I think he delivered the final nail in the coffin of the Giro d'Italia hopes of anybody else. He has made it look effortless. He is simply riding everybody off his wheel, not even attacking-just riding away from the leaders. It's now just a race for the podium. Simoni is rapidly gaining on Savoldelli to usurp his place there. It's not looking good for Il Falco to hang on with two more seriously mountainous days to come before Milano. In fact, the top 3 may look entirely different after tomorrow's stage to Plan de Corones. What's left of the Top 10 is going to be blown to smithereens!

I think we've seen the last of Gilberto Simoni. He's in the autumn of his career for certain. It's a far cry from the Gibo of 2003 when he was chasing down everything in sight and winning stages right and left.

Basso is so strong this year that it's almost frightening. It's not frightening in a Lance Armstrong 2001 Alpe d'Huez sort of way, where he is like Godzilla stomping through the peloton crushing everything in his path. It is instead a calm, tranquillo kind of strong where he is out on a Sunday club run with some amateurs and when the climb comes he rides away whistling a tune.

It's pretty cool to finally see Basso get what he has deserved for so long.
~The Dust Devil