There was a huge crash with about 70 kilometers to go, and another at 20 kilometers that knocked out Bradley McGee of the CSC team. The finale was marred by a crash between Evgeny Petrov (Tinkoff) and Graeme Brown (Rabobank).

Riccardo Chiarini (LPR), Matej Jurco (Slovakia), Jeremy Roy (Française des Jeux), Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis),  Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quick Step), and Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff) managed to get off the front at the 60km mark and stayed there for the next 130 km. With 30 km to go, the peloton reeled them back in and everyone rode together into the finish.

Benatti beat out Erik Zabel (Milram) and Danilo Hondo (PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli) for the win. Franco Pellizotti was close enough at the end to hold on to his overall lead. American Christian Vandevelde also finished in the lead group, so he is still within striking distance of regaining the maglia rosa.

Tracking the contendors:

• Danilo di Luca is only 7 seconds off of the lead.
• Andreas Kloden - 28 seconds back
• Alberto Contador - 30 seconds
• Levi Leipheimer - 40 seconds
• Leonardo Piepoli - 1 minute, 1 second
• Gilberto Simoni - 1 minute, 2 seconds

There. I’ve said it.

The title of this entry was going to be “I’m SORRY that….,” but then I realized - why should I apologize for someone else’s weakness? I’ve had this bike on the road for about 2 weeks and I’ve already heard the snickers and the silent shock.

Are people really that hyper-masculine that they have to make jokes and snicker like Beavis and Butthead over a little bike of pink on someone else’s bike?

Maybe this explains the doping problems at T-Mobile. The fans were laughing at the riders and they felt that they had to do everything possible to succeed to prove that they were manly men.

Nonetheless, it doesn’t matter to me. I love this bike. It’s light, stiff, fast and comfortable. Danny (see picture) likes it too.

The day started with the news that Igor Astarloa (Milram) dropped out of the race with intestinal issues.

The first escape of the stage race went to Dioniso Galparoso (Euskatel-Euskadi). He built up a lead of 1 minute and 20 seconds before being pulled back into the peloton.  The riders all stayed together until the descent of the day’s first climb. Jeremy Roy (Française des Jeux) and David Loosli (Lampre) took off and stayed away for quite a while building over a 10 minute lead at some point.

A railroad crossing 65 km from the finish took down a number of riders. David Zabriskie of Slipstream-Chipotle was the most seriously injured and had to be taken away in an ambulance.

The break was captured with about 50km to go. Slipstream worked hard to keep Christian Vandevelde near the front, but the LPR Brakes squad then pushed to the front to position team leader and defending champion Danilo Di Luca for the finish.

Around the closing circuit, the lead group kept getting smaller and smaller.  Joaquin Rodriguez (Caisse d’Epargne) went for the surprise attack, but his legs gave out and a group came up and overtook him. Riccardo Riccò had the strongest legs, outsprinting countryman Danilo Di Luca to take the win.

Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas) finished fourth, which gave him a one-second lead over Christian Vandevelde and taking over ownership of the leader’s jersey.

Results:

1 Riccardo Riccò (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott                                      5.48.35 (35.629 km/h)
2 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes
3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
4 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas
5 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) LPR Brakes
6 Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
7 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française des Jeux                                           0.04
8 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas                                                     0.08
9 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval - Scott
10 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana

General Classification:

1 Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas                                                6.15.16
2 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30                   0.01
3 Chris Anker Sørensen (Den) Team CSC                                                0.07
4 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes
5 Morris Possoni (Ita) Team High Road                                                0.08
6 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
7 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC                                                      0.17
8 Bradley McGee (Aus) Team CSC
9 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team High Road                                           0.18
10 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) LPR Brakes                                                 0.19

Christian Vandevelde and four of his teammates completed the 23.6 km time trial course in the shortest time to put Vandevelde in the pink leader’s jersey. Team CSC took second at 6 seconds behind while Team High Road took 3rd.

Vandevelde is the first American to wear the leader’s jersey at the Giro since Andy Hampsten won the race 20 years ago.

Team Results:

1 Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30                                          26.32 (53.366 km/h)
2 Team CSC                                                                       0.06
3 High Road                                                                      0.07
4 Liquigas                                                                       0.09
5 Barloworld                                                                     0.14
6 LPR Brakes - Ballan                                                            0.28
7 Astana                                                                         0.29
8 Tinkoff Credit Systems                                                         0.33
9 Quick Step                                                                     0.42

10 Lampre                                                                        0.45

General Classification:

1 Christian Vande Velde (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30              26.32
2 David Zabriskie (USA) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30
3 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30
4 Julian Dean (NZl) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30
5 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Slipstream Chipotle Presented By H30
6 Michael Blaudzun (Den) Team CSC                                                0.06
7 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC
8 Bradley McGee (Aus) Team CSC
9 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team CSC
10 Jason McCartney (USA) Team CSC

All in all, not a bad day for American racers. Two Americans in the Top 3 and 3 in the Top 10.

The race starts in less than a day. Here’s a preview of the Team Time Trial and other news:

• VeloNews is predicting that the Giro may be the best race of the year. Defending champ Danilo di Luca (LPR Brakes) will be there, along with Contador (Astana, 2007 TdF winner), Denis Menchov (Rabobank, 2007 Vuelta winner), Paolo Bettini (Quickstep, 2007 World Champion), and former Giro winners Paolo Salvoldelli (LPR) and Gilberto Simoni (Diquigiovanni-Androni). Contador will joined by teammates Andreas Klöden and Levi Leipheimer, who are also believed to have a shot at the podium.
• There are 2 U.S. registered teams at this year’s race: Slipstream-Chipotle and High Road. Slipstream is said to be aiming solidly at a win in Saturday’s team time trial.
• Steve Morabito will replace Benjamin Noval on the Astana squad. Noval is out with stomach issues.
• Spanish rider David Arroyo (Caisse d’Epargne) will be replaced by Mathieu Perget after breaking his wrist in a training ride crash earlier this week.
•  Pez Cycling News has a nice overview of the course for the team time trial as well as some of the sights and scenes in Palermo.

• Pez is pretty much saying that Astana has the triple threat in Contador, Kloden and Leiphimer for the overall win.
• This is said to be the last Grand Tour for two-time winner and long time podium hanger Gilberto Simoni.

Here are a few examples of the deals:

1. 2007 Jersey/Shorts combo - Was $195, now $49.99
2. 2007 Descente Team retro sweater - Was $100, now $29.99
3. 2007 Descente Team bib shorts - Was $110, now $29.99

There’s a lot of other stuff as well: socks, t-shirts, caps and so on.

I’m thinking about designing and selling jerseys and I want to see what people like and dislike about what’s already out there.

You can respond to this by registering and filing a comment.

Here’s what I like:

• Trim fit, but not tight
• Long zipper to control ventilation
• Slightly higher color

Here’s what I dislike:

• Most jerseys are ugly as sin
• Solid color selections are either limited or bland
• I’m not a pro and I’m not sponsored, so I don’t need to be a rolling billboard. With all of the free advertising some of these companies are getting, the jersey should be free.

This week, I’m featuring 2 complete road bikes, both “last year’s model” that bike shops are typically trying to unload.  

The first bike is a 2007 Scott CR1 Pro (52cm) with an Ultegra drivetrain, Ritchey cockpit and Mavic wheels. It’s selling for a “Buy It Now” price of $2,199.

The second bike is a 2007 Look 555 with Shimano 105. This complete bike has a “Buy It Now” price of $1900 with free shipping. This is an exceptional deal, as the frame typically sells for around $1500. The seller has both 52cm and 57cm sizes available.

I don’t know how long these will last. Happy shopping!

* Pez Cycling News has a great overview of this year’s stages, including detail on some of the punishing climbs. CyclingNews.com has both stage profiles and stage maps.

* From the Giro’s official site, here are the course profiles for all of the stages. Sure looks jagged:

* I really love Italian food. This looks yummy:

Stay tuned. More later.

Go for a ride!

The article has good intentions. It points out that bicycles are a good solution to the looming issues of global climate changes and soaring gas prices. The problem comes with their bicycle recommendations.

• A Calfee Designs bamboo frame. The frame alone is $2695! You can build it up into a complete bike for, oh, $4000. Perfect for the consumer trying to figure out how to feed their kids. While I love that Calfee is really pushing the limits of bike design, I think that even he would say that this bike is not for every person, nor would it be their primary bike. I certainly applaud the fact that the production of this frame significantly reduces carbon dioxide emissions, the production of any bicycle creates a small percentage of the emissions that go into making a car.
• The RevoPower wheel. You remove your front wheel and replace it with a $600 gas-powered wheel.
  • My first worry about this was that it would be equipped with a two-stroke engine, and indeed it is. Two-stroke engines are traditionally quite polluting, but the company’s web site states that it is a new technology two-stroke that is cleaner and meets all federal regulations.
  • It is only designed for mountain bikes right now.
  • It’s vaporware. It’s supposed to go to market sometime this year.
  • Finally, while the company feels that most people will only use the motor when necessary, the wheel adds 12 pounds of rotating weight (as well as some extra friction) to the bike. I think that most will use it all of the time, so there goes the fitness aspect of riding a bike.  
• The Ride bike from Ellsworth Cycles. Once again, very cool. Once again, very expensive. This bike uses a new continuously variable transmission based on a design by Leonardo DaVinci. $3000. On the upside, you can buy the hub for less than $300 if you dig around on the web. 

According to their website, USA Weekend reaches 49.2 million potential readers every weekend. Their stock-in-trade is celebrity, health and food news, and while I don’t expect them to be completely informed on the bicycle market, I would have liked to seem them do a little more research.

In that spirit, I present the Bike World News green bike recommendations. Remember - any bike is more green than even a Prius.:

Your average big box store bike. The picture below is an Iron Horse Maverick 1.5. I found it on sale for $199. There are bikes like this available most everywhere. They’re reasonably equipped, and while a little heavy, they will still get you down to the corner store to buy a gallon of milk.   

The Craigslist special (aka the Garage Sale bike). Someone, somewhere in your area is selling I bike. I found these two for $130 on the Cincinnati Craigslist site:

Still too expensive? Here’s a nice cruiser for $65:

Last but not least, look in the back of your garage or your shed. If you have a bike, pull it out, dust off the cobwebs and take it down to your local bike shop for a quick tune-up.

Ride your bike. Your legs, lungs and grandchildren will thank you.