Sunday, May 27, 2007

Cycling Sunday

Garzelli jumps Simoni for the win yesterday, but Simoni is the big winner grabbing back 50 seconds from DiLuca who remains in pink. DiLuca has been dealing with the mountains much better than the past. With 2 decisive stages left after today(Zoncolan and ITT) it is getting close and someone is going to have to get aggressive to shake this race up. Today will be critical for guys like Simoni and Cunego to put the pressure on and pull back more time. The 3 big climbs today should help. Top Ten:
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas 62.10.40
2 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - Fondital 0.55
3 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team CSC 1.57
4 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - Fondital 2.40
5 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval - Prodir 2.42
6 Francisco Javier Vila Errandonea (Spa) Lampre - Fondital 2.44
7 David Arroyo Duran (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne 2.51
8 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit System 3.11
9 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) Astana 3.15
10 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria - Navigare 3.52

Schleck and Brugseghing are having the rides of their lives with their careers at oppostite ends of the age spectrum. Can they hold on to the podium?
Wed is the Mt Zoncolan stage which is a beyond epic climb with pitches 20,22, and 18%. These epic Giro stages often don't shatter the race as much as you'd expect, but a bad day here for anyone in the top five could have them dropping right off the map. Especially when it comes at the end of 142K and 3 other climbs. Ouch!

In other news John DeVine holds the lead at Ronde de l'Isard with only today's stage remaining. US U23's kicking ass!
Kodak Gallery Sierra Nevada's Canadian powerhouse Dominique Rollin took his third stage win at the FBD Ras stage race in Ireland. Jesse Anthony needs to get back 12 seconds to poduim there.
T-Mobile's Mark Cavendish grabbed a stage at Catalunya. Great results for him this year. I feel somewhat better about this race since Vladmir Karpets as taken the lead. Between Brutt and Karpets, you would think the only known cyclist in Russia was Laurent Brochard. Or maybe it is Ekimov's fault?

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