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89th Giro d'Italia - presented by

6 - 28 May

2006 Giro d'Italia Favorites

Main

The 89th Giro d'Italia, departing 6 May from Seraing, is one of the toughest in years, and also will be one of the most competitive in years. In 2006 there will be some heavy-hitters throwing punches, swinging knives and kicking sand to vie for the right to wear the Maglia Rosa when the race reaches its final destination, Milano on 28 May. The parcours and the participants are going to make this one of the best races in years.

Il Falco Bergamasco

Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel) will line up with number "1" on his back as last year's winner, and he will face danger from all quarters. His most dangerous adversaries are the number of mountains and his recent virus. The last week of the 2006 Giro is stacked with many famous passes, and perhaps too many for a rider like Savoldelli, who can climb fast, but not as fast as the best.

Il Falco Bergamasco abandoned the Tour de Romandie due to an intestinal virus and was forced to spend a few days off the bike. Savoldelli has passed these last days on his Trek machine for the first time after Romandie's abandon, hoping to refind the form that won him the opening prologue in the Swiss race.

"My stomach is not yet perfectly fine but it is normal, and I am going much better with respect to last week," said Il Falco yesterday.

Italian Stallion

The rider many consider the major favorite of this year's Giro is the Italian Stallion, Ivan Basso (Team CSC). Last year Basso sampled the emotions that come with wearing the Maglia Rosa and is eager to don the jersey again.

"I don't feel like I am the 'man to beat'," said Basso, who excels in climbing and time trialing. "I have a lot of respect for my rivals, and I believe they have respect for me, and also more experience at the Giro. I know I am one of the principle players for this Giro... I won't race watching anyone in particular, but rather do my own race."

In the Italian Stallion's favor are the two major time trials: the 38K team run to Cremona and the 50K individual test in Pontedera. Just like Savoldelli, Basso can better the pure climbers on any TT parcours.

Gibo

The pure climber with the most experience and best chances is Gilberto Simoni (Saunier Duval-Prodir). Gibo, already a two-time winner, has made the switch in the off-season to join his old Team DS, Pietro Algeri, and receive full team support (i.e., no more Cunego-Simoni internal struggles.)

"I have more experience this year, and around me I have people like Pietro Algeri, and this gives me great sensations," explained il Trentino. "The race means a lot to me, I have watched it on TV since I was child."

As a 34 year-old 2X winner, Gibo knows how to manage his efforts until the final week arrives: where he will put it all on the line with attacks that will make his rivals quiver with fear. This could possibly be Simoni's last year of racing, so expect something very special from il Trento before the race reaches Milano.

Il Piccolo Principe

Another climber with huge talent is the 2004 Giro Champion, Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital). Il Piccolo Principe shot to glory in 2004 by winning the Giro d'Italia, while riding with Simoni, and the Giro di Lombardia, but then had his 2005 season compromised by mononucleosis in the early season. 2005 is over, and 2006 has seen the rebirth of the Cunego everyone came to know and love in 2004.

"I feel like I have returned to the rider that I was when I won the Giro in 2004," explained Cunego (24). "But this year the Giro is going to be very challenging, with lots of rivals. I think Ivan Basso looks very good: He can climb well, has a strong team and will be the best in the time trials."

Il Piccolo Principe, with respect to all the other favorites, will pay the most in the individual tests. It remains to be seen how much the wintertime work on his crono position, and the new sleek Wilier crono machine, will payoff. Any losses incurred will have to be made up in the final week's mountains, where Cunego can do some damage.

The Killer

Also on the crono 'slow' list is The Killer, Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas). Di Luca's slow time trialing will not trick his rivals, they know that he is a determined and calculating rider, who has spent the entire year planning for the 2006 Giro d'Italia... Hence the name "The Killer".

L'Abruzzese has never dedicated a whole season to a single victory, like the GC of the Giro d'Italia, one which will be stacked with vertical roads and demanding time trials. "I'm not afraid," explained the 30 year-old Liquigas captain. "In 2005, I proved myself to be ready to win a Grand Tour. ... I gave up my traditional goals at the beginning of the season to have some months of hard training, starting with a long camp at altitude in Mexico. ... It won't be easy at all, but I will take my chances."

"There isn't a 'decisive stage': the whole last week will be decisive!" As for his rivals, "In particular I'll watch out for Basso and Simoni, but I'm not going to be worried by anyone and anything."