Giro rolls on - week 2 highlights
Sunday, 25 May 2008 10:34
The second week of the Giro d'Italia, like any Grand Tour, can be an odd thing. Generally, the road goes skyward and the speedsters think about surviving. The favorites can no longer hide away in the bunch. If their form is good and the race situation right, week two is where they must come out to play to be a contender. Tactics play a crucial role, particularly in the midsection of the race; dosing effort, preserving effort by gaining time only when the opportunity presents and metering attacks to when there's maximum advantage over your opponents all come into play. All this is cycling 101. Those who ride the Giro know though that theory is often thrown out the window in the heat of battle.
Giro Week 2 - the main talking points
- No Robbie McEwen victories. Robbie has a history of cleaning up at the Giro but this time the mighty Queenslander seems to have forgotten his broom. At age 35, McEwen is as smart as ever and has form after a win in Romandie. So what went wrong? Normally this time of the Giro sees him packing up after a few wins in Week One. Time will tell if it was just a bad week or something more.
- The pile ups! We all know there's inherent danger in bike racing, but this week it seems to have been amplified! Crash after crash has marred this week. Maybe the organising committee needs to twig that small roads and lots of very fast riders don't always match well.
- Mark Cavendish continues to perform. The young Brit took out Stage 13 to add to a Week One victory. A new star has definitely been born.
- Slipstream Chipotle, one of the really good stories of the Giro, have got their man Christian Vanda Velde into a position to make a significant challenge. The continental team has it all to do yet, but maybe they'll be able to do the impossible?
- Classy move of the week was from Emanuele Sella who won the first sky high finish of the Tour. He took out Stage 14 with some pretty accomplished climbing. One hit wonder or is there more to come?
