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It's a wrap for Giro d' Italia's "As the Wheel Turns" soap opera

Gene Bisbee — Sun, 29 May 2005 09:19:07 -0700

The three-week running of the Italian soap opera -- the Giro d' Italia -- ended on Sunday.
Casual viewers will note that Italian Paolo Savoldelli of Discovery Channel's Pro Cycling Team won the overall race, and Alessandro Petacchi took the final 74-mile stage from Albese con Cassano to Milan.

Savoldelli challenged, but retains Giro d' Italia lead

Gene Bisbee — Sat, 28 May 2005 10:23:09 -0700

The sprints are exciting, but the mountains truly tell the tale at the Giro d' Italia.
This year's Giro, which ends Sunday, was played out today in the final few miles of the 117-mile stage between Salvigliano and Sestriere. Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team's Paolo Savoldelli lost, then earned back, the rights to the overall leader's pink jersey on the ...

Basso wins 2nd Giro d' Italia stage as he eyes Tour de France

Gene Bisbee — Fri, 27 May 2005 09:08:38 -0700

Despite a disastrous illness in the Dolomites a week ago, CSC's Ivan Basso has made it worth his while to hang around.
The Italian has won back-to-back stages in the Giro d' Italia, winning the 21-mile individual time trail from Chieri to Torino on Friday.
Once a favorite to win the Giro, Basso is now using it to test his ...

Basso saves face at Giro d' Italia

Gene Bisbee — Thu, 26 May 2005 10:19:05 -0700

Any chance that Ivan Basso could win the Giro d' Italia slipped away last weekend as he suffered intestinal ills on the difficult climbs in the Dolomites.

He gave up the overall leader's jersey to Discovery Channel Pro Cycling team's Paolo Savoldelli, but the Italian CSC bicycle rider didn't give up. He hoped to salvage the Giro with a stage ...

Bicycle Quote: Paolo Savoldelli, leader in Giro d' Italia

Gene Bisbee — Wed, 25 May 2005 10:02:23 -0700

"I broke my nose and jaw in a collision with a motorbike in 2003, got a virus from over-training in 2004 and then had another two accidents after that. I've still got nine screws and a titanium plate in my collar bone. Hopefully I'm being paid back for everything I've been through. Victory in the Giro would mark the end ...

Giro d' Italia win coming into sight for Disco's Savoldelli

Gene Bisbee — Wed, 25 May 2005 09:47:21 -0700

If Paolo Savoldelli can hang on for a few more days, he might have this Giro d' Italia in the bag.

The Discovery Channel Pro Cycling team captain -- in the absense of Lance Armstrong -- is beginning to consider a win after retaining the overall leader's pink jersey on Wednesday on the 130-mile bicycle race from Lissone to Varazze. ...

Petacchi takes 3rd win at Giro d' Italia

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 23 May 2005 09:23:17 -0700

After race organizers closed the mountain pass portion of Monday's race due to snow, the stage became a 95-mile downhill and level run into Lissone.

That spells a contest for sprinters. The Fassa Bortolo team, apparently having overcome its early problems with lead-outs, delivered Alessandro Petacchi to the finish line for his third stage victory.

Sprinters Erik Zabel and Paolo ...

Stomach ailment punctures favorite's goal in Giro d' Italia

Gene Bisbee — Sun, 22 May 2005 13:49:36 -0700

More mountains and more suffering at the Giro d' Italia Sunday, especially for Ivan Basso.
A favorite to win the Giro, the leader of the CSC team achieved the overall leader's jersey about four days ago as soon at the race moved into the mountains. The agony brought on by the mountains on Saturday, however, was compounded by stomach ailments, which caused ...

Pain and gain at Giro d' Italia -- Disco's Savoldelli in lead

Gene Bisbee — Sat, 21 May 2005 09:38:43 -0700

How much pain can Giro d' Italia route planners inflict on a group of bicycle racers?
It must be a lot, from the way these 170 highly conditioned cyclists were strung all up and down 5 major climbs on the 135-mile stage from Mezzocorona to Ortisei on Saturday.
And when the suffering was the worst, on the day's final climb up to ...

Giro d' Italia goes according to plan for the Ale-Jet

Gene Bisbee — Fri, 20 May 2005 09:17:10 -0700

Today's Giro d'Italia was like one of those bicycle races where everything goes your way, at least if your name is Alessandro Petacchi.
The Ale-Jet's Fassa Bortolo team stayed in control at the front of the peloton as it entered the town of Rovereto. When Paride Grillo, one of the hangers'-on trying to take advantage of the Fassa's lead-out, started his sprint, Petacchi found ...