The Giro - Week in review

The Giro has entered its third and decisive week. After 12 stages, the riders finally got their much deserved rest day.  But not without first dropping a few riders. We said goodbye to Matt Goss, Mark Renshaw and Graeme Brown.  It was not only Australians that pulled out before the second rest day.  Giro favourite (or at least in his own mind), Frank Schleck, had enough and took his Trek back home in a thumbs up (or was that finger) to Johan Bruyneel.

The Giro has now returned to the Italian Alps. The GC contenders finally take the spotlight over the next five days. Although sprinters will get one last chance during the short stage 18.  So who will be there when the giro caravan rolls into Milan?

Before we get there, we should have a look at the last week.  A week of solo efforts, brazen descents made to look easy and more crazy crashes. 

Rabottini - the solo king

The highlight of the week, if not the Giro, has to be Matteo Rabottini's (Farnese Selle Italia) solo effort and powerful finish to win Stage 15. We have had Tornado Tom Boonen during the spring classics, now we have Rambo Rabottini in the Giro.

Rodriguez must have thought that the Stage win was in the bag after he passed Rabottini with 400m to go.  Rabottini was not going to let anyone snatch his much deserved victory. Somehow he mustered enough energy to get on to Rodriguez's wheel and passed him on the last corner. 

Rabottini won the stage and Rodriguez was back in Pink.  Any other result would have been a mis-justice.

What was Pozzato thinking?

GreenEDGE was unlucky to miss out on a second stage win when Pozzato (Farnese Selle Italia) was too busy looking at the cameras and plowed straight into Matt Goss on the last technical corner in Frosinone. Somehow Pozzato hit the accelerator rather than the brake. Cavendish was again caught up in the crash, but this time he did not leave half his skin on the road.  Movistar's Ventoso took advantage of the crash to claim the stage win.

Pozzato did not start stage 10, having to pull out due to a fracture.

The descending skills of Amador

Costa Rican rider, Amador (Movistar) has had an amazing giro.  He backed up his third place on the 12th Stage of the Giro with a win on the 14 Stage - the first high mountain stage.

The highlight of the win would have to be Amador's crazing descending skills.  He was not afraid to race his pinarello at its limited.  A win at all costs mentality. A delight for all cycling fans.  He was able to reel in Jan Barta (Netapp), who did not have the same ability to throw his bike around the corners.  A special mention for descending bravery goes out to Damiano Cunego (Lampre-ISD).

Ferrari - Was any one cheering?

Who can forget Roberto Ferrari's effort during the infamous Stage 3 of the Giro.  He had to check his passport to see if it was Italian.  Any other nationality may have seen the sprinter evicted from the race.  He was not.

But, he was relegated to last.  With the Giro heading back to Italy, Ferrari was chasing redemption both within his team and from the Italian tifosi. That came during stage 11 when Ferrari managed to not get caught up in the Modolo crash and whip around Vaitkus (GreenEDGE) to take the stage win.  Cavendish came in third, but given Ferrari track record, may be Cav did not trust getting onto Ferrari's back wheel.  Anything could happen, right!!!!

Giro disappointments

With some of the biggest mountain stages yet to come, there may well be a chance to Scarponi, Cunego and Pozzovivo to shine.

So far Lampre's co-captains have been the biggest disappointment.  Scarponi and Cunego have not been show why they were early contenders.  Failure to make up some time on either Stage 16 or Stage 17 will make it very difficult to come away with the trophy in Milan.

Pozzovivo came into the Giro as the form mountain goat after victory in the mountainous Giro Del Trentino. He managed to get his first stage win in Lago Laceno (Stage 8), but as the rain and weather closed in, so did any chance of victory in any of the early moutain stages.  Still has the potential to pick up a stage win yet. Providing there are no downhill finishes.  But the sun will need to be shining.

 What to look out for this week


Stage 20 is the highlight of the 2012 Giro d'Italia with two famous climbs in one day - Mortirolo and Stelvio.  This could make or break the GC contenders.  A legend could be born during this stage.

Just do not expect any of the riders to descend it like Calore.

 

Special mention

I thought I could not close out the week in review without a quick congratulory mention of both Farnese Selle Italia and Netapp.  Both these teams received wildcards from the organisers. Both have given their sponsors a lot of coverage by getting in many of the breakaways.  Well done lads.