The season's first grand tour, the Giro d'Italia, kicks off on Saturday and though it looks to be a decidedly Italian affair, the last minute inclusion of Team Astana has turned the race inside out. Well, sort of. While Astana's roster includes, arguably, the three best grand tour riders, Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloden, only Kloden appears to be in shape to contest a major stage race.
OK. Can Levi and Alberto come off the couch and ride circles around yours truly? Do you even need to ask? But, dropping Bruce like a bad smell is different than keeping it all together in a three week race. One look at the race map should strike fear into anyone with a heartbeat and knowledge of the route.
The Passo Manghen on Stage 14 is pretty darn hard and the finish of that stage on the Alpe di Pampeago is humongous. The next day is brutal with the Passo Giau at 6mi of 10% and then the finish on the Marmolada(Passo Fedia) which is probably the hardest climb in the Dolomites, the last 3km averaging 15% or so. But, wait, there's more. The next day is an individual time trial which finishes at the Plan de Corones with sections up to 25% in the last 4 miles. Ouch!
Hey, but the hardest stage on paper may be Stage 20 five days later which includes the Passo Gavia and its ramps up to 16% and then the fearsome Passo del Mortirolo which is probably the second or third hardest pass in any grand tour. The 8-mile climb averages 11% and it is just a never ending climb of pain and suffering. Anyone who is hoping to do well in the race and has questionable fitness is going to have nowhere to hide.
With Astana's snub from the Tour I am hoping that the boys in blue lay down some serious smack and show why they deserve to be in France come July. Given their current lack of race conditioning it might be a tall order, but don't count out Alberto and Levi.
Bruce
ps - rumour has it that there will be a stage start or finish in the central valley town of Visalia in the 2009 (insert you favorite sponsor here) Tour of California. That may mean a mountain stage up into Sequoia National Park where 6-7000' climbs exist. Hmmm.
Active Expert: Bruce Hildenbrand
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CMehl
Yippieeee! We're in the Giro! Astana is ready to race. The late invite is pure bs but the guys are motivated and will race with endless amounts of motivation and drive. We have three possible contenders and soon enough the roads in Italy will reveal which one deserves and will get the full support of the team. I wish things had played out differently in the lead up to this race, but we're happy to be racing, making ASO look once more like AS(h)O(les) for not letting the defending champion ride. No one expects things to change in regards to July, but for now it's May and we love pink!!!
Bruce, how can a stage in February be contested in Sequoia? If my memory serves me right, it's rather snowy there that time of year!!
Bruce Hildenbrand
susie_b,
My guess is that money changed hands for Astana to be invited to the Giro. That's not necessarily a bad thing, that is how some cycling business is conducted these days. Just look at Rock Racing's invite to the Tour de Georgia.
I think it is totally possible to ride a good Giro and Tour. There is one month between the races which should be more than enough time to recover. Pantani(1998), Indurain(1993) both won the Tour and the Giro in recent years so it is possible. But, it is a tough Giro so a rider who wants to win both needs to ride smart and conserve, conserve, conserve.
Cathy,
the big rumour is that the Tour de Georgia is finished and that the Tour of California will take over the April dates held by Georgia. Sequoia National Park is very doable in April, though a spring storm could add a little whiteness to the mix.
Bruce
CMehl
in response to: Bruce Hildenbrand
Well, the crowds at Georgia were pitiful....no one in Savannah or Augusta. I heard that the Lt. Governor insisted that the race go to those two locations for political reasons and the people did not give a hoot about it. When the peloton is coming in and you can walk right up to the barriers to view the finish, well, there is a problem!
But I'm disappointed if Calif moves to April. We'd have way less talent willing to come over during the spring classics season....don't you think? And besides, we've only had one year of bad weather, we promise it will be better next time, right?!
Missed you in GA, BH!
I am, of course, very happy that Astana will be at the Giro. However, I want to know WHY Angelo Z, et al, changed their minds & why at the LAST MINUTE! As unfair as it was to exclude them, it's also unfair to wait til 7-8 days before the Start to invite them. What do you think is really going on?
Plus, it seems that Astana HAD to bring their top 3 GC guys or the deal was off. Since Angelo's stated reason for not inviting Astana back in Feb was that they felt all stepsisterish & would not have gotten Astana's "A" team, they are now getting what they wanted & more. Look at all the publicity this GT is now getting outside of Italy. And having Astana there WITH all that's happened, just ratches it up to a whole different level. Hmmmm, seems like a PLAN.
Machiavelli WAS Italian....
Anyway, I have another question. IF the ASO suddenly sees the INANE error of their ways & invites Astana to the TDF, wouldn't it just be too much to expect stellar performances by the guys in 2 GTs only about a month apart? How much time does it take a GC guy to recover from these 3 week races? I've always been astounded at these Tours anyway & don't know how the competitors just don't sleep for a month after.
If I was a (cough, cough) suspicious type, I'd be wondering if the ASO really is going to invite Astana & sees a financial opportunity in extorting the RCS & thus would withold the invite til, oh let's say June 1st, just as a shot in the dark. If ASO announced today that Astana was invited, do we really think Alberto, Levi, & Kloden would all stay in the Giro for more than a week? Most likely they would at least have to start as the RCS probably has a legally signed document from Johan that they would. How much money would it be worth to the Giro guys to keep last year's TDF winner in their race? So much that they'd willingly give the ASO a payoff so they'd hold back THEIR last minute invite?
If P&C do invite Astana to the Tour AFTER the Giro, they'll come off looking like the "good guys" (they "reassessed"), while screwing Astana/slapping at Johan at the same time. Talk about a win-win for the ASO.... Maybe Dugard was right all along - there's NO publicity that the Tour doesn't love/covet/would do ANYthing to create.
Here's the real question - which one is "The Prince"? Or maybe this is more along the lines of a CARTEL & these guys are ALL in cahoots. Either way, old Niccolo would be proud.