Giro d'Italia 2008 - Stage Seven

The 2008 Giro d'Italia started from Palermo, southern Italy on May 10 and is held over 21 stages until June 1.

Stage 7 - May 16 Vasto - Pescocostanzo 179km

Gabriele Bosisio (LPR Brakes) won the seventh stage on a day when Giovanni Visconti retained the overall lead and Danilo di Luca and Riccardo Ricco went on the attack - more

It was a day when Di Luca, Ricco and Contador, all competing for the overall title, took about 50 seconds from the rest of the tour challengers.

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Sella said: "I really made efforts to win the stage and thought I could do it right from the start. I really thought I could have a bid for victory with Bosisio up until my bad luck at seven kilometres from the finish.

"I had this puncture and everything went up in smoke. I'm still looking for another stage win since Casena (2004). I know I have the green jersey of the best climber but I'm still not happy."

Danilo Di Luca - : "This Giro is very tactical like today with a breakaway of more than 30 riders. How did we do? We won the stage and took valuable seconds from a number of riders."

Alberto Contador placed 8th a few seconds behnd di Luca and Ricco - “Riccò, Piepoli and Di Luca were the strongest. I was almost at their level so I am glad. This was one of the decisive stages in this race. I did not expect to already be at this level. I thought I would not yet be so good. In general I had good legs the whole day, but in the end I had a bad moment. However I can be happy."

DS Kim Andersen a said of stgae 7 - "It was great racing out there today and I definitely think our guys made a brilliant effort all over. Chris Sorensen might have gotten further had he waited a bit longer before attacking, but it's very positive that we had three guys up front at the end after such an exclusive finale.

Riccardo Ricco who ended the stage in the company of Di Luca said - : "It wasn´t exactly as we´d expected, but we´re content because the real Giro hierarchies have been revealed. We now know that Contador, for instance, is in perfect shape, although he´d said he wasn´t OK. If you were lying on the beach ten days ago, you can do what he did today, no matter how good you are. I didn´t like his attitude today, he should have helped in the breakaway with Piepoli and Di Luca. There was a moment when Leonardo and I were mad at him because we wanted him help us and he didn´t do anything. With Di Luca, on the other hand, we had a nice duel. What happened today makes me feel confident for future stages. Unlike other riders, I have Piepoli to rely on, and he´s an incredible partner. It´ll be great to have him by my side in the mountain stages."

Ricco's trusted Lieutenant Leonardo Piepoli, had worked hard for his team leader - "We´d made the decision of giving it hand, and that´s what we did. Our selection wasn´t that successful, but he stole some precious seconds from dangerous rivals, which he hope will be useful when we hit Mian. Contador? I´d never swallowed that story of his coming to Giro to train. He´s bound to be one of the big names."

Patrick Calcagni abandoned at the feeding zone, the Swiss rider suffered the consequences of a food poisoning . "It wasn't a funny day indeed, although Felix Cardenas 4th place represents a good result for sure. It's a pity to have lost Calcagni. Furthermore, we have to evaluate Maurico Soler's conditions looking forward the queen stages. Let's try to stay optimist" , directeur sportif Alberto Volpi said.

“In the morning our sport director told us to enter the breakaways with many riders, so Simon Spilak and I joined the breakaway we thought was good – Sylvester Szmyd explained – I think I realize a good race when I was in the breakaway and then I battle to stay in Visconti group”.

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A stage for a breakway? After 56 km, the course goes 1,530 meters high up the Forca d'Acero, the only ranked climb of the day and then it's rolling road to Tivoli.

Milram's Marco Velo sums up the stage thus - "We know the final part of tomorrow's stage very well. It isn't so hard, but it is nothing for a sprinter. I don't think there will be a big gap among the leading riders. I think it is a stage for someone like Bettini."