Giro d'Italia 2008 - team kit

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

At a big tour, or in fact any race, it's great fun to spy out the team kit and try to spot prototypes and the like.

Simon Spilak's Le Roi featuring elements of the new Cento?

Shimano mechanical levers and not electric

New Campagnolo levers - soon to be available on electric and 'normal.

This year at the Giro and at the start of stage sixteen, we failed to unearth the new eleven speed Campagnolo, and despite many near misses with counting of cogs, it remained elusive. We know it's out there.

Wilier Cento
Despite this failure we did note that Italian cycle manufacturer, Wilier Trestina have tweaked their Le Roi for the Lampre team, and a number of the race bikes had an integrated seat post and what looked like a unified bottom bracket box.

We believe that the new generation Cento will feature these elements, but in a more radical manner. Sadly, we were not really paying attention when a few Wilier factory guys stopped to talk to Wilier's UK man Colin Bath atop the Passo Falzarego. They were out riding stage 15 on test 2009 Cento's, and although we took a snap, we didn't really appreciate the moment. At least we know that the guys at Wilier really are bike fans

Campagnolo
Despite us not spotting the eleven speed Campagnolo - due in Record and Chorus, we did see the new style levers, slightly reminiscent of the ill fated Mavic Mektronic, and although the levers shown in our picture are part of an electric set up, they will also be available in the 'normal' mechanical system.

Shimano
Both Rabobank and Lapierre, had a few bikes fitted with the new Shimano Dura Ace levers, we were taken aback at first when we realised that the concealed cables on the new system, was not electric, but mechanical.

The rear mech on the Colnago looked a bit hand made whilst on the Lapierre it was of a higher quality finish. Note also the brakes on the Lapierre, which we think are from FSA.

We can expect both new Dura Ace and Record in the Autumn.

More pictures