Giro started in Amsterdam today, Bradley Wiggins won the prologue, Evans third.
‘Drug free’. Good one.
Is that bollocks Valverde still racing?
Think he was at Liege. Don’t think he can race in Italy though. He could be arrested for cheating I think. :unsure:
They are only 6 or so years late tbf.
“An insane stage.” Not my words, the words of Top Gear magazine, sorry, The Guardian. Not many people will be happy to see Vino in pink. I’d like to see Evans do it, he might be a whiny dickhead but at least he’s probably a drug free whiny dickhead.
Alexandre Vinokourov retains Giro d’Italia lead after ‘insane’ stage• Saxo Bank’s Chris Anker Sorensen wins stage eight
• ‘The situation was completely insane,’ says team director
Chris Anker Sorensen of Denmark battled to the top of a mountain to win the eighth stage of the Giro d’Italia yesterday after rain and snow just about held off on an already difficult route.
Alexandre Vinokourov of the Astana team retained the overall leader’s pink jersey after the top riders all finished close together in the central Italian hills. The Kazakh, who overcame appalling conditions on Saturday to take the lead, holds a one minute 12 second advantage over the Australian world champion Cadel Evans with the previous race leader Vincenzo Nibali edging back up to third overall.
Vinokourov returned to cycling last year after a doping ban but lost none of his grit and determination during his time away and now looks favourite to lift the title in Verona on 30 May after three tough weeks of racing.
Saxo Bank’s Sorensen, who broke his collarbone during the Tour of Catalunya in late March, triumphed on a 189-km ride from Chianciano ahead of the Italian revelation Simone Stortoni of the Colnago CSF Inox team. Spain’s Xavier Tondo was third for Cervelo.
“The situation was completely insane. On the last three kilometres I am in the car with goosebumps all over my body and inches away from being a nervous wreck screaming out the window, then screaming into the steering wheel while Pascal [mechanic] is hanging out the sun roof rooting for Chris,” Saxo Bank sports director, Dan Frost, said.
"His fight in the front of the race is an image of the way our whole team has been fighting for success in this race. They are all putting in everything they have to succeed as a rider and as a team.
“The only difference is that today the struggle was visible to everyone. We came to the Giro with no big expectations and this delegation of riders simply keeps surprising us all and they have now made the Giro a success for the team.”
No Italian has won a non-team stage yet in this year’s race and the chance of a home victory on today’s 187-km flat route from Frosinone to Cava de’ Tirenni south of Naples has been hit by Alessandro Petacchi’s retirement. The Lampre sprinter pulled out early on in the stage because of bronchitis.
Watched a good bit of this over the weekend. Friday’s stage was just crazy. Seemed really like a classic rather than stage of a Grand Tour. Nibali was unfortunate in both that he crashed and that he had to continually wait for Basso. Evans was impressive all right as was Cunego. Vino is ominous though I think he may have frailties and I have a feeling he will crack big time in one of the stages.
Anyone catch stage yesterday? Read that Nibali won so he is probably back in with a shout.GC is remarkably open considering how far into the race we are.Brutal stage today with huge climbs.Eurosport aren’t showing it despite its importance which is extremely frustrating.
A million people on the Zoncolan today apparently.Pretty astonishing.
Larry, there is in my hole a million people. 
Link to today’s stage:
http://www.fromsport.com/video-247102.html
Merely quoting Eurosport sid. Read that there was a million there in 2007 so wouldn’t be surprised to see huge numbers there again
Martin is 35/1 today.Worth a punt I reckon
All the training, hard work and drugs are paying off in glorious fashion now for Ivan Basso.
Basso drugged to his eyeballs I suspect. Some crowds at that finish. Good ride from Martin there.
Yes indeed, a heartwarming story, triumph over adversity and all that shit. they make me want to puke. Cunts the lot of them.
Congratulations to Ivan Basso’s doctor on his heartwarming Giro d’Italia triumph. A great moment for the sport and a vindication of this thread’s sub-heading.
Yes, I think I called that one correctly. I think we can all take encouragement from Ivan Basso’s triumph over adversity.
Valverde got a two year ban today. Global not just Italy. Great to see the Italians taking a proactive approach on drug taking in the sport. An example to us all.
How was this years giro in terms of quality?
Just reading In search of Robert Millar at the minute. Fascinating insight into the real anti english speaking vibe that existed in the 80s. That Vuelta in 85 was mad, with crowds 6 or 7 deep heckling and spitting on Millar.