Giro d'Italia - Cavendish targets seven stages

Eurosport - Sat, 24 Oct 22:17:00 2009

Mark Cavendish was eyeing a sprint clean sweep at the 2010 Giro d'Italia after organisers revealed there would be seven stages for speedsters during Saturday's presentation of next May's race.

CYCLING Mark Cavendish del Columbia-High Road Vuelta a Suiza 2009 - 0

"I always want to be a star at the Giro," the Briton, who bagged three individual stage wins in this year's race, told Rai television. "There are seven stages for sprinters, why not try winning them all?"

Organisers had already announced that the first three stages would be in the Netherlands, starting in Amsterdam on May 8 with a time trial.

It will be the ninth time the world's second biggest stage race, which celebrated its centenary this year, kicks off outside Italy.

Many of the gruelling mountain stages have been saved for the second half of the race before the climax in Verona on May 30 with an individual time trial finishing at the city's Roman arena.

The 15th stage from Mestre to Mt. Zoncolan and the penultimate stage between Bormio and Ponte di Legno Tonale look especially tough.

The Giro will not stop in Milan after a farcical stage in the city this year, when the times did not count for the general classification after the riders cruised for most of it in protest at the safety of the course.

After the first three stages, the peloton will fly to Piedmont for a team time trial between Savigliano and Cuneo.

The race then heads southwards with the first uphill finish coming in the eighth stage from Chianciano Terme to Mt. Terminillo in Lazio, which is expected to show who the real contenders are.

Three days later the riders will take on the longest stage, a 256-km slog from Lucera to L'Aquila in Abruzzo, which is still recovering from the earthquake that hit the region in April.

"The race is paying a visit to this city still wounded by the earthquake, something which Italian President Giorgio Napolitano requested," said Carlo Verdelli, the editor of La Gazzetta dello Sport, whose parent company runs the Giro.

Stage One - May 8, Amsterdam, time trial, 8.4 km

Stage Two - May 9, Amsterdam-Utrecht, 209 km

Stage Three - May 10, Amsterdam-Middelburg, 209 km

Stage Four - May 12, Savigliano-Cuneo, team time trial, 32.5 km

Stage Five - May 13, Novara-Novi Ligure, 168 km

Stage Six - May 14, Fidenza-Carrara, 166 km

Stage Seven - May 15, Carrara-Montalcino 215 km

Stage Eight - May 16, Chianciano Terme-Mt. Terminillo, 189 km

Stage Nine - May 17, Frosinone-Cava De' Tirreni, 188 km

Stage 10 - May 18, Avellino-Bitonto, 220 km

Stage 11 - May 19, Lucera-L'Aquila, 256 km

Stage 12 - May 20, Citta Sant'Angelo-Porto Recanati, 191 km

Stage 13 - May 21, Porto Recanati-Cesenatico, 222 km

Stage 14 - May 22, Ferrara-Asolo, 201 km

Stage 15 - May 23, Mestre-Mt. Zoncolan, 218 km

Stage 16 - May 25, San Vigilio di Marebbe-Plan de Corones, time trial, 12.9 km

Stage 17 - May 26, Brunico-Peio Terme, 173 km

Stage 18 - May 27, Levico Terme-Brescia, 151 km

Stage 19 - May 28, Brescia-Aprica, 195 km

Stage 20 - May 29, Bormio-Ponte di Legno Tonale, 178 km

Stage 21 - May 30, Verona, time trial, 15.3 km

Reuters

Comment 1 - 6 of 6

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  1. @pete - the same could be said of any pro race over the­ last 20 years, such is the seriousness of the issue and­ it's place in the peleton. Doesn't matter­ whether its the Giro, Vuelta, Tour or the classics -­ there is a history of doped riders winning - that's­ just the way it was. Just shows we still have some way­ to go, but we must keep the faith and hope the next­ generation see doping as the exception rather than the­ norm.

    From pedro118118, on Tue 27 Oct 8:37AM

  2. that is not true pete. A lot of riders have been caught­ at the gito. Pantani, Di Luca, Petacchi, Mazzoleni ecc.­ Pheraps the tour has a better testing lab and that is­ why they can find dopers more easily but the giro has­ always tried to have a clean race and theey have­ managed to suspend high profile italian riders!

    From alexmn85, on Tue 27 Oct 7:58AM
  3. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Great route - pointless having an overall winner­ though. Just see who has NOT been caught doping if­ they are Italian and award the race to them for their­ ability to avoid the 'vampires'. This year you­ had people like scarponi winning left right and­ chelsea, whats the point ! Next year we will have­ 'vino' ! climbing like a nutter and not getting­ caught cheating - fantastic, I cant wait. Is the table­ tennis on ?

    From pete, on Mon 26 Oct 8:30PM

  4. Have to agree. Coming second to the Tour has its­ advantages. I was reading about the Tour and the­ potential for the inclusion of new venues, and, as­ mentioned, logistics are a nightmare for Prudhomme and­ his team in scouting for new starts and finishes. The­ Giro is more flexible on that count.

    From CR, on Mon 26 Oct 7:51PM

  5. The Tour is now too big to make for an interesting­ parcours. Logistically, moving that amount of­ equipment and people over 3 weeks is very difficult,­ which means that the start/finish towns have to be of a­ certain size. Not to mention the riders/teams, who­ demand a certain standard of accommodation/short­ transfers etc. This year, it was a squeeze to finish­ atop the Ventoux??!!! The Giro is less of an animal­ and, as such, can afford to be more innovative in­ it's route planning, mountains and finishes.

    From pedro118118, on Mon 26 Oct 3:42PM

  6. looks like the giro will be yet again tougher than the­ tour. Mind you, the decision by tour organisers to­ place sdome of the best mountains miles from the finish­ of the stages has not helped the situation. I think the­ most attractive part of the tour will be the cobbles­ stage.

    From alexmn85, on Mon 26 Oct 2:41PM
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