Giro d'Italia 2008

Passion, pain and controversy

The 2008 Giro d'Italia will set off from Palermo, southern Italy on May 10 and will navigate up through the country before the stages in the Dolomite mountains finally settle the race in the final week.

The Toughest?

Hairnets and tubs around the neck - the good old days?

Many argue that the 'Giro' is the toughest of all the big tours; the Tour de France is the most pressured, but the mountain top stage finishes and time trials of the Giro are beyond much seen in the 'Tour'. In the final week of the 2008 Giro d’Italia there are five mountain stages and two Individual Time Trials, and that after two weeks of racing.

The Giro d'Italia was born, as was the Tour de France, from a newspaper circulation battle. Today the race or 'Campionissimo' is run by the RCS for the publishers of 'Gazzetta dello Sport' one of Italy's leading daily papers. The paper is printed on pink newsprint and the leader's jersey or Maglia Rosa, follows suit.

First run in 1909 and won by Italian Luigi Ganna riding for the Team Atala squad, the race has evolved into a three week race followed by 100,000's of Tifosi.

The Tifosi
On many of the mountain stages, the race has to force it's way through huge crowds. In the past the passion of the fans has got the better of them and non Italian riders have suffered at their hands. Belgian Eddy Merckx was punched in the ribs during one Giro. Stephen Roche angered the Tifosi when he attacked his team mate and Italian favourite Roberto Visentini, resulting in Roche being spit on and having to rely on Robert Millar offering him some protection from the hostile crowds. It is not uncommon to see riders hitting out at a roadside fan. Nonetheless most of the Tifosi will be out to have fun and celebrate our wonderful sport.

Rivalries
The Italian press have often played hard on the rivalries between riders, especially between fellow Italian's, this could explain some of the fervour of the fans. The Giro has seen great contests between Gino Bartali and Fuasto Coppi, Felice Gimondi versus Gianni Motta and Franceso Moser versus Giuseppe Saronni. Into the mix we could add Charly Gaul, Laurent Fignon, and in modern times Gilberto Simoni and Damiano Cunego. Their heroics and headlines have helped to enflame the passions of the Tifosi.

Mario Cipollini
Giro winners aside, the undoubted superstar of the Giro and Italian cycling was Mario Cipollini, in his career through the 1990's and early 2000's he claimed 42 Giro stage wins. His celebrity status was fueled by his strong personality and his understanding of how to play the media in the global age. Earlier, Alfredo Binda had dominated the early days (41 stages) and at one point the organisers tried to keep him out of the race. More up to date we find current Italian sprint star, Alessandro Petacchi with 24 wins and he will be hoping to capitalise once more at the 2008 Giro.

Snow will fall

Weather
The Giro d'Italia's weather can be very fickle, many days will be played out in warm sunshine, but rain at this time of year is never too far away, and worse the high mountains often have to be cleared of snow, and fresh snowfall can disrupt the race forcing the shortening of stages.

In 1988 American Andy Hampsten riding for 7-Eleven won the Giro outright after smashing his rivals on stage fourteen. A huge snow storm had fallen that day and as the blizzard swept the Passo Gavia (Featured this year on Stage 20) he rode to second on the stage and ultimate victory covered in snow.

Marco Pantani
A rider who made his mark so deeply was Marco Pantani, and although he won only one Giro overall in 1998, his exuberant style inspired a huge devotion. He was to fall to earth with great force when he recorded too high a Haemocrit level in the 1999 Giro, which saw him excluded whilst wearing the Magila Rosa. From this point on his career fluctuated until his death from a drug overdose in 2004. He was a genuine fallen hero and loved despite all.

Throughout the history of the Giro d'Italia it has been bound together closely with the fevered following of the devoted fans, the general public who are drawn in by a juicy headline and the press who do their utmost to stir the pot. Making for a heady mix indeed.

The Giro will offer up a Grand Champion
The Giro d'Italia is the toughest physically on the riders and often the racing so much more exciting than the mentally challenging nature of the Tour de France. Whomever wins the 91st Giro d'Italia will be a grand champion and over the three weeks we will witness some of the best racing to be had.

Links - 2008 Giro