The Cycliste Moderne, May 9, 2005

Giro d'Italia Prologue Recap

Giro d’Italia organizers started the race with the shortest Prologue in recent memory during a Grand Tour. Under floodlights, the Giro started with a drag race down the promenade in Reggio Calabria at the tip of Italy’s boot. On a course that was absolutely straight with no elevation gain at all, every rider had a legitimate chance to win the stage.

The sprinters were certainly in a position to win the pink jersey with a win in Sunday’s Stage 1. Stuart O’Grady of Cofidis showed his track experience by completing the course on a fixed gear bike and finished sixth. Alessandro Petacchi of Fassa Bortolo put in a strong ride to finish third and position himself to take the pink jersey with a win on Sunday.

Brett Lancaster of the small Italian team Panaria won the prologue in a surprise. Although he has had significant track experience, winning a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics in the team pursuit for Australia, he has not had a lot of success on the road. It certainly was a good day for Panaria as Lancaster became their first rider to ever wear the pink jersey. Moreover, Lancaster became just the third Australian to ever wear the pink jersey.

The highlight of the Prologue, however, was the appearance of recently retired Mario Cippolini. Organizers had originally announced that Cippo would ride before any of the other riders as a send-off. He did not ride first, and instead Cippo followed the last rider on the day, Damiano Cunego of Lampre Caffita.

Cippo did not disappoint his awaiting fans by appearing in a pink skinsuit with world champion stripes on the cuffs. As he completed the kilometer ride on a pink bike, Cippo showed the panache that made him the greatest showman in the history of cycling. Merckx won a lot more races than Cippolini but Cippo certainly had a lot more style in his nearly 200 career victories.

Stage 1 Recap

Quick.Step’s Paolo Bettini fulfilled two unaccomplished goals on Sunday. Amazingly, Bettini had never won a stage of the Giro d’Italia and had never worn the pink leader’s jersey. After the finish, Bettini accomplished both. Petacchi managed to finish second but clearly the route favored Bettini’s ability to get away on short climbs and sprint to the finish. Commentators who had predicted a field sprint had obviously reviewed just the profile and not the actual course. The last five kilometers had a series of sharp turns, including a 270 degree corkscrew and a hairpin left-hand turn, had narrow winding roads, and a steep 500 meter climb. It was a perfect course for the Olympic road race gold medalist, Bettini.

Fassa Bortolo had controlled the race to bring it back at the finish for Petacchi. It was clear that Lancaster’s stay in pink would be short-lived. However, today’s stage finish did not lend itself to the field sprint that Fassa Bortolo had desired. With a short but very steep climb in the last kilometer, Bettini attacked on the 15% grade and managed to stay away for the final 500 meters. That climb splintered the peleton and the Silver Train of Fassa was unable to keep the group together and get Petacchi back to Bettini.

Monday’s Stage 2 lends itself much more to a group sprint and Fassa will certainly want to redeem themselves for today’s failure. Bettini will have the pink jersey for at least one day and with his sprinting ability may be able to defend it from Petacchi, provided he picks up time bonuses and contests the sprint tomorrow.

After two days, however, both Panaria and Quick.Step have had the type of success that they could only have dreamed of before the Giro began.


Giro Fashion Commentary

Lampre-Caffita’s team uniforms require some comment. For a team outfitted by sportswear manufacturer Kappa, their uniforms leave a lot to be desired. The black seat pad insert in the shorts is ugly and distracting. The Lampre blue is flat and unappealing and is even worse with the pink highlighting stitching. The Kappa logos on the front hips are too big and there are too many other sponsor logos. The old Lampre blue and pink jerseys were certainly distinctive and identifiable. The new Lampre kit just makes you scratch your head. You would expect a better design from Kappa; the Saeco team kit they put together the last few years was classic and classy. Additionally, thei Rudy Project helmets with the Elvis muttonchop ear fairings are about the ugliest time trial helmet in the peleton.