Giro d'Italia 2008

Few would doubt the tough task set for the riders due to compete in the 91st edition of the Giro d'Italia. The race will be held over 21 stages from May 10 to June 1 and will see the riders face seven mountain stages (five of which close on summits), four time trials (Including one team and two mountain) and the rest are a mix of sprinter or rouleur stages.

Sprinter's Stages (Stage list)

Tight mass gallops will feature strongly

The sprinters, such as Alessandro Petacchi (Milram), Robbie McEwen (Silence Lotto) and Daniele Bennatti (Liquigas)) will be looking to stages two, three, nine and if they are still there after the first set of mountains, stages twelve and thirteen, and we can expect their teams to control the race those days and work for a bunch sprint.

Stages four, five, six, eight, eleven, seventeen and eighteen may not suit the out and out sprinters, but with rolling roads and hills, these stages could see breaks forming and offer an opportunity for Paulo Bettini (Quickstep) or Fabian Cancellera (Team CSC) to win. Of these stages, four and seventeen contain a few big climbs that should work in their favour.

Time Trials Stages (Stage list)

There are four 'Race of Truth' time trial stages in the 2008 Giro. The opening 28 kilometre team trial could upset a few best laid plans for overall race contenders, a bad performance (Or a massively better performance by another squad) by a team could see a rider playing catch up from thereon.

The first stage is a team time trial

The first individual test is on Stage Ten, with a mountain top finish at Urbino. The 36 kilometre stage features a long drag that will confirm the form of the main race contenders to be revealed on stage seven, the first big mountain stage. (See below)

These two time trials might be enough for any other race, but the Giro will place two more 'race against the clock' in the riders path. Next up is Stage Sixteen, a thumping big 13,8km climb from San Vigilio Di Marebbe to Plan De Corones with sections at 24%. 2007 Tour de France mountain classification winner, Mauricio Soler (Barloworld) rode the climb and he said of it; “It’s a hard climb, that’s for sure,..... “It’s difficult to say how much it will decide the Giro because when we race here we’ll already have two weeks racing in our legs."

This is the stage in 2007, that saw the stage shortened before the ascent of the Plan De Corones because of bad weather.

The last time trial comes on the final day in Milan. The run up to Stage Twenty One was all about the mountains and if the race is on a knife edge (Which we are sure the organisers are hoping for), the 23.5 kilometre test will settle the race. The Giro race leader will probably not win it, but he will be working to keep losses to a minimum whilst a rider like David Millar (Sliptream) celebrates a stage win.

Mountain Stages (Stage list)

Seven out and out mountain stages will focus the drama in the race and with five finishes at summits, any weak legs will be found out. The final week in the Dolomites will be key.

Snow in the mountains

Tensions of the race will at its strongest in the mountains

Stage seven on May 16 begins in Vasto and closes at the summit of Pescocostanzo after a day of climbing. This day opens the curtain on the mountain stages, and before they hit Stage Fourteen on May 24, they will ride a mountain time trial on May 20. (See above)

Mauricio Soler said of Stage Fourteen, Erona to Alpe Di Pampeago/Val Di Fiemme (195km) , “It’s a really tough climb. It’s hard but the long straight sections of road also mean the riders will be in sight of each and that always makes a difference."

Next day the riders start Stage Fifteen riding from Arabba and closing the day at the top of Passo Fedaia/Marmolada (153km), and this could be the toughest day in the Dolomites. Climbs on route are the Pordoi, San Pellegrino, Giau and the Falzarego. The final climb of the day begins in Caprille and just goes up and up, and up for fourteen kilometres! The summit is at 2057 metres and this stage will be a real race decider.

With no respite allowed the race turns next to the Stage Sixteen mountain time trial (See above) and after which there are two stages allowing the rouleurs to shine, and then it's Stage Nineteen featuring the ascent of the Monte Pora. This stage may not be as feared as the previous mountain days, and the action maybe spiced up by a a few riders set on doing more than just getting through it.

The final mountain stage is number Twenty, the penultimate day of the 2008 Giro d'Italia. Unlike so many of the mountain key stages, the route from Sabato Rovetta to Tirano (224km) on May 31 does not end on top of the climb, this will allow some recovery on the descent into Tirano and a regrouping of the bunch. Nonetheless the day shouldn't be dismissed as climbs include the fearsome Passo Del Mortirolo.

Stage Profiles (Click on picture to enlarge))

Links - Past Winners : Most Wins : 2008 Giro : Stage List