Giro d'Italia: Gasparotto leads, Di Luca pulls faces
Published by Halverde on 5/15/2007 at 12:12.
The Giro has started! And then stopped! This Giro has had it all so far: Childish inter-team rivalries; Ale-Jet's triumphant, teary return to form; and Discovery Channel riding like absolute mongs. Keep it up, guys, this is already going down as a classic. Tomorrow's stage is the first summit finish, so presumably the debate as to whether Cunego or Di Luca will win there should reach its logical conclusion: Both riders being thoroughly overshadowed by a 20 year old East European. We love this sport.
But who'll win overall?!
Damiano Cunego
Despite everybody in the world suddenly deciding to claim that Cunego has wasted his precocious talent, he's actually become a much more solid rider. Not that his new found ability to time-trial will have a massive impact on this year's route, but he should look pretty threatening compared to the previous couple of years. No mean feat when you're dressed in blue and purple.
Odds to win: 2/1 (2.98)
Paolo Savoldelli
We're not going to mention that Savoldelli is renouned as a doper, and instead do what the rest of the cycling media do and just focus on his descending skills. Skills that are both awe inspiring AND cannot be enhanced by drugs, no less. Thankfully this Giro is all about going UP hills, and there's only one flat time-trial, so Il Falco has no chance whatsoever. Time to take up mountain biking, a la Simoni?
Odds to win: 6/1 (6.8)
Danilo Di Luca
Despite saying on here that he had no chance of winning Liege - Bastogne - Liege, we bet on him anyway and ended up winning a pile of money. Thanks Danilo, you've paid for this website for another year, thus meaning we can slag you off a little bit more. He's on storming form at the moment, but probably won't be really competitive over such a tough course. Lovely team kit though -- goes great with pink.
Odds to win: 6/1 (7)
Gilberto Simoni
When he's not mocking Ivan Basso in internationally-distributed magazines, Simoni is usually putting in astounding performances in the Giro. The lowest he's finished every year since 1999 is third place, apart from 2002 when he was suspended from racing for having cocaine in his hair. Which is hardly fair on old Gibo, since we regularly come home from bars with an assortment of drugs in our hair, and it's never stopped us from riding Pro-Tour events.
Odds to win: 13/2 (7.4)
If you bet on them here, we make money. And so do you, if you know your stuff. Winners always welcome at Betfair!
Tomorrow
We continue our Giro coverage. But it'll be better than today's, because we're just getting warmed up really. Promise.
But who'll win overall?!
Damiano Cunego
Despite everybody in the world suddenly deciding to claim that Cunego has wasted his precocious talent, he's actually become a much more solid rider. Not that his new found ability to time-trial will have a massive impact on this year's route, but he should look pretty threatening compared to the previous couple of years. No mean feat when you're dressed in blue and purple.
Odds to win: 2/1 (2.98)
Paolo Savoldelli
We're not going to mention that Savoldelli is renouned as a doper, and instead do what the rest of the cycling media do and just focus on his descending skills. Skills that are both awe inspiring AND cannot be enhanced by drugs, no less. Thankfully this Giro is all about going UP hills, and there's only one flat time-trial, so Il Falco has no chance whatsoever. Time to take up mountain biking, a la Simoni?
Odds to win: 6/1 (6.8)
Danilo Di Luca
Despite saying on here that he had no chance of winning Liege - Bastogne - Liege, we bet on him anyway and ended up winning a pile of money. Thanks Danilo, you've paid for this website for another year, thus meaning we can slag you off a little bit more. He's on storming form at the moment, but probably won't be really competitive over such a tough course. Lovely team kit though -- goes great with pink.
Odds to win: 6/1 (7)
Gilberto Simoni
When he's not mocking Ivan Basso in internationally-distributed magazines, Simoni is usually putting in astounding performances in the Giro. The lowest he's finished every year since 1999 is third place, apart from 2002 when he was suspended from racing for having cocaine in his hair. Which is hardly fair on old Gibo, since we regularly come home from bars with an assortment of drugs in our hair, and it's never stopped us from riding Pro-Tour events.
Odds to win: 13/2 (7.4)
If you bet on them here, we make money. And so do you, if you know your stuff. Winners always welcome at Betfair!
Tomorrow
We continue our Giro coverage. But it'll be better than today's, because we're just getting warmed up really. Promise.
