Biking Bis - Bicycle Touring

Giro draws to close with final podium battle

Gene Bisbee — Sun, 29 May 2011 08:59:54 -0700

After several failed breakaway attempts earlier in the 2011 Giro d'Italia, David Millar delivered a stage victory for US-based Garmin-Cervelo by winning the individual time trial in Milan on Sunday.

The British cyclist earned the overall leader's maglia rosa in Stages 3 and 4 earlier in the three-week race.

Other than the fight for a stage victory, Italian cyclists Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas) and Michele Scarponi (Lampre) provided the only fireworks in their battle for second place overall ....

Movistar shines at Giro's last summit finish

Gene Bisbee — Sat, 28 May 2011 08:46:52 -0700

With the overall leaders of the Giro d'Italia more concerned about scoring a couple of seconds on each other, Russian cyclist Vasil Kiryienka was able to win the final summit finish of this year's bike race.

The Movistar cyclist was part of a 13-man breakaway that splintered apart on the steep slopes and 45 switchbacks of Category 1 Colle delle Finestre.

The 29-year-old survived the rest of the bike race alone, passing over Finestre and finishing at Sestriere nearly 5 minutes ahead of the nearest chasers .....

Next to last Giro stage is... a summit finish

Gene Bisbee — Fri, 27 May 2011 21:12:41 -0700

Why should the stages get easier on the peloton just because the Giro d'Italia is drawing to a close?

The penultimate stage of the three-week race is marked by a summit finish, just like seven previous stages.

On the way to the Category 2 Sestriere finish, however, the peloton will first cross the Category 1 Colle delle Finestre ....

Contador still gaining time at Giro

Gene Bisbee — Fri, 27 May 2011 08:27:26 -0700

A demanding attack on the final climb up to Macugnaga paid off for Paolo Tiralongo on Friday with his first-ever stage victory at the Giro d'Italia.

The Astana cyclist was caught and passed in the final fight for the finish by Alberto Contador, but Tiralongo grabbed the overall leader's slipstream then passed Contador at the finish.

The fact that Tiralongo and Contador are former Astana teammates may have had something to do with the Italian winning the race. ...

Stage 19 climb preview: another mountain-top finish

Gene Bisbee — Thu, 26 May 2011 16:36:56 -0700

With Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) firmly in command of the maglia rosa, a few questions still remain for the 2011 Giro d'Italia. Among them:

Who will share the podium with Contador, and will Stefano Garzelli hold onto the mountains jersey.

Anticipating this questions several months ago, the Giro organizers threw in mountain-top finishes for the 19th and 20th stages.

Below is a 3D tour of the first climb of the day ...

First win for Italian cycling team at 2011 Giro d'Italia

Gene Bisbee — Thu, 26 May 2011 08:06:11 -0700

Team Liquigas must have loved Stage 18, as cyclist Eros Capecchi won the team's first victory at the 2011 Giro d'Italia in San Pellegrino Terme.

The 25-year-old joined a 15 to 20 man breakaway that developed more than halfway through the 151km (94 miles) race, then joined the three-man break that survived to the finish.

Meanwhile, overall leader Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) relaxed in the peloton with a 4:58 lead ...

Strange odyssey to Stage 17 victory for Giro sprinter

Gene Bisbee — Wed, 25 May 2011 08:52:40 -0700

Races judges decided that an Italian sprinter at the Giro d'Italia was doing more than just gesturing with his hands and relegated him to third place at the close of Stage 17 in Tirano on Wednesday.

In the final sprint, Giovanni Visconti (Farnese Vini) appeared to tap Diego Ulissi (Lampre) on the hip then push him aside with his forearm as he passed by along the barricades.

Ulissi slowed down a bit in the commotion as Visconti win the sprint. But the judges don't like cyclists to take their hands off the handlebars ....

Mountains in Stage 18; but no uphill finish

Gene Bisbee — Tue, 24 May 2011 22:08:35 -0700

For the first time since last Thursday, the Giro d'Italia cyclists won't be struggling uphill to the finish line on Wednesday.

Stage 18 is a 230km (143-mile) bike race from Feltre to Tirano in the Alps. The peloton crosses a couple of passes, but finishes on a downhill run.

The first climb is the Category 2 Passo del Tonale ....

Little doubt for Giro championship

Gene Bisbee — Tue, 24 May 2011 08:58:44 -0700

The unrelenting force of Alberto Contador in the mountains continued to widen the margin over his rivals at the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday.

The Spaniard won the uphill Stage 16 individual time trial by 34 seconds with five stages left, all but assuring himself the championship on Sunday.

The battle now appears to be who will share the podium with Contador ...

Time trial profile for Tuesday's Stage 16 at Giro d'Italia

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 23 May 2011 20:07:36 -0700

The organizers weren't kidding when they said the 2011 Giro d'Italia would be one of the toughest in memory.

Tuesday's Stage 16 is an individual time trial -- a mere 12.7km (7.9 miles) from Belluno to Nevegal. The difficulty comes from the fact that it is all uphill, with sections at 10% to 14% gradient.

Here's a profile and 3D tour supplied by CyclingtheAlps.com ...