2010 Giro d'Italia
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Giro d'Italia was the 93rd edition of the Giro d'Italia
, one of cycling's Grand Tours
. The Giro started off in Amsterdam
on 8 May and stayed in the Netherlands
for three stages, before leaving the country. The route included climbs such as Monte Zoncolan
, Plan de Corones, the Passo del Mortirolo
and the Passo di Gavia before ending in Verona
with an individual time trial
.
Principal favorites for overall success in the Giro included Ivan Basso
of the team, Cadel Evans
for , and 's Carlos Sastre
. After three weeks of racing, it was Basso who claimed his second Giro d'Italia title, after also winning in 2006
. David Arroyo
from and Basso's teammate Vincenzo Nibali
rounded out the podium. Australian riders won all the lesser jersey awards, with Evans taking the points classification, 's Matthew Lloyd
the winner of the mountains classification
, and Richie Porte
of the Giro's best young rider
.
The road race stages in the Netherlands were both marred by repeated crashes, which led to some unexpected big time gaps before the transfer to Italy. The overall standings were very turbulent in the first week, with four different riders holding the race leader's pink jersey
. The 11th stage greatly re-shaped the overall standings, when several riders, including Sastre, gained almost 13 minutes against the remainder of the field. Porte took the pink jersey after this stage. Two days later, Arroyo took the jersey, and kept it for five days. He eventually lost it to Basso on the first of two very difficult mountain stages to close out the Giro. Success was fairly widespread among the Giro's 22 teams, as 17 of them came away with either a stage win, classification win, or stint in the pink jersey.
. Those guaranteed a place are those who were members of the UCI ProTour
at the time of the agreement. Two from this group, and , declined to participate in the race, instead focusing on the Tour de France
and the Vuelta a España
. Two new teams joined the ProTour for 2010. One, , participated in the race, but the other, , did not wish to participate, since they planned to send their best riders to the partially concurrent Tour of California
. Seven UCI Professional Continental teams, two of which ( and ) were part of the September 2008 agreement as they were members of the ProTour at that time, joined the 15 ProTour teams to round out the teams list. Each team entered a squad of nine riders, giving the event a 198-rider peloton
at its outset.
The race's 22 teams were:
before it and the forthcoming Tour de France, began in the Netherlands. The two Dutch Professional Continental teams, and , had both ridden Grand Tours in 2009. Throughout the season, the two teams tried to prove their combativeness in the hopes of securing Grand Tour invites, trying especially to outdo one another. Since the openings to the Giro and the Tour were partly financed by Dutch tax money, Vacansoleil's team manager called for political help to get invites for his team, but neither Dutch team made it into either the Giro or the Tour. Consequently, neither made the Vuelta a España teams selection, either. The teams' disappointment at their non-invitation led to communications with UCI President Pat McQuaid
, which may result in reforms to how teams are selected for the Grand Tours.
champion Danilo Di Luca
, who originally finished second in the 2009 Giro d'Italia
, was suspended by his national federation in February for a doping incident in the 2009 Giro. 2008 Giro d'Italia
champion Alberto Contador
skipped the Giro to better focus on the Tour de France
, as he also had in the previous season. After first indicating that he might defend his championship, 2009 champion Denis Menchov
also announced that he would not ride the Giro, instead focusing on the Tour de France, in order to complete the career sweep of the Grand Tours
. Lance Armstrong
and Levi Leipheimer
, leaders of the squad in the 2009 Giro, announced in October 2009 that they would ride the partially-concurrent Tour of California
instead of the Giro, which is why was not selected for the Giro.
Just five days before the race began, the UCI announced several riders were under suspicion of doping by virtue of irregular values in their biological passport
s. Among them was Franco Pellizotti
, who had been set to be one of the leaders for the team and had been described as a pre-race favorite. While team firmly stood behind Pellizotti in the case and expressed anger that the UCI unveiled their findings so close to the start of the Giro, they obligingly pulled him from their squad. He was replaced by Vincenzo Nibali
, who had been planning to ride the Tour of California as a squad leader. While not an overall favorite, Alessandro Ballan
intended to participate in the race, stating in October that it was a certainty he would start, after missing out on the Giro in 2009 when he was world champion. This was an indication well in advance that the was in line for an invite to the race. Ballan was later suspended by his team as a result of an internal doping investigation, meaning he had to miss the Giro. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
Most pre-race analyses identified Ivan Basso
, Cadel Evans
, and Carlos Sastre
as the major favorites to win the overall classification, with Evans perhaps the consensus pick. Basso and Sastre had both ridden the Giro in 2009 and come away finishing in the top five. Sastre also won two difficult mountain stages in the race's final week, and was noted as a rider who gets stronger as a race goes along, making the Giro's very climbing-intensive third week possibly sit in his favor. Evans had finished on a Grand Tour podium in each of the past three seasons, including in the most recent three-week event, the 2009 Vuelta a España. He also entered the race as the reigning world cycling champion and had had a successful 2010 season to date, with a win in La Flèche Wallonne
and a podium finish in the Tirreno–Adriatico
. Neither Basso nor Sastre had raced much in the 2010 season prior to the Giro. Other riders named as contenders included Bradley Wiggins
, former Giro winners Damiano Cunego
and Stefano Garzelli
, Alexander Vinokourov
, Marzio Bruseghin
, Christian Vandevelde
, Domenico Pozzovivo
, David Moncoutié
, and Michele Scarponi
. Race director Angelo Zomegnan also named Basso, Evans, and Sastre as his three favorites, and included Wiggins and Linus Gerdemann
as possible darkhorses.
Mark Cavendish
and Daniele Bennati
, stage winners in the past two editions of the Giro, were absent from this race, but several top sprinters took the start in Amsterdam. These included Tyler Farrar
, André Greipel
, and Alessandro Petacchi
, all of whom had themselves won Grand Tour stages in 2009 and figured to be top favorites for the Giro's flat stages. Former Tour de France points classification
winner Óscar Freire
intended to make his Giro debut in this race, but he pulled out due to sinusitis
shortly before the race started. Other sprinters in the Giro peloton included Robbie McEwen
, Freire's teammate Graeme Brown
, Baden Cooke
, Leonardo Duque
, Sebastian Haedo, Wouter Weylandt
, and Greg Henderson
.
s (three individual
and one team
), seven flat stages, five mixed stages, and six mountain stages. The race began in the Netherlands, the ninth time in the Giro's history that the race began outside Italy, and the first since 2006's start in Belgium. A short individual time trial and two flat stages were held there. Starting the race away from Italy meant that an early rest day, coming just three days into the 23-day race, was necessary to transfer to Italy. The first stage upon entering Italy was a team time trial, the fifth consecutive year that discipline had featured in the Giro. Stage 7 visited Tuscany
and was raced partly on unpaved roads used yearly in the Italian semi-classic Montepaschi Strade Bianche. The course honored Italian cycling legends Gino Bartali
, Fausto Coppi
, and Costante Girardengo
by passing through their hometowns in the first road race stages in Italy.
Five stages ended with climbs, with most coming in the race's last week. The first was stage 8 to Monte Terminillo
, a 16.1 km (10 mi) long climb gaining 1672 m (5,485.6 ft) of vertical elevation for an average gradient of 7.3 percent, one of the most difficult climbs in the Apennine Mountains
in the region of Abruzzo
. The next was Monte Zoncolan
in the Carnic Alps
, which at 10.5 km (6.5 mi) in length was shorter than some of the other climbs in the race, but with 1210 m (3,969.8 ft) of vertical gain in that time, its 20 percent maximum gradient made it one of the most difficult. The Stage 16 individual time trial went to Plan de Corones, on a course identical to the one used in the 2008 Giro d'Italia
. In 12.9 km (8 mi), this stage gained over 1000 m (3,280.8 ft) and featured a section with 24 percent gradients in the final kilometer. The Giro's last two road race stages were especially climbing-intensive, including the Passo del Mortirolo
, rising 1250 m (4,101 ft) in 12.8 km (8 mi) for an average gradient of 10 percent, and the Passo di Gavia, known for being climbed during the 1988 Giro d'Italia
in the middle of a driving blizzard. The Gavia was also the Cima Coppi, the race's highest point, and Stage 20, in which it featured, was considered the queen stage. Other climbs during the race included the Passo del Bratello, Monte Grappa, the Passo delle Palade
, the Passo di Santa Cristina, the Forcola di Livigno, and the last climb of the race, the Passo del Tonale. Most of these climbs also featured difficult descents.
The route was noted to appeal to many types of riders, be they climbers, sprinters
, or time trialists. The race had seven flat stages which figured into end in mass sprints, and the hilly mixed stages were inviting for breakaways. Sastre, one of the first riders to announce he would ride the Giro, commented that the route was much harder than that of the 2009 Giro, and would demand a very strong climber to be its champion. Zomegnan concurred that the route favored climbers, noting that the distance spent time trialing was not great and that it would take errors from climbing specialists to allow a rider better suited for time trialing to be Giro champion.
with an individual time trial
. Favorites for the stage included two British riders, captain Bradley Wiggins
and ' David Millar
. Several riders in the Giro peloton considered Wiggins the prohibitive favorite. Wiggins won the stage, securing the first pink jersey. A major surprise on the stage was Grand Tour rookie Brent Bookwalter from coming in second, just 2 seconds off Wiggins' winning time. Millar was seventh, 6 seconds back. This set the stage for a turbulent opening to the Giro, as both of the road race stages in the Netherlands featured several crashes. The courses for the road stages in the Netherlands were noted to have a lot of street furniture
on them, which combined with the riders' nerves on the first day of a three-week Grand Tour as well as crosswinds from the North Sea
to make the first mass-start stages very perilous. Tyler Farrar
, Carlos Sastre
, Christian Vandevelde
, Greg Henderson
, Wiggins, Alessandro Petacchi
, Domenico Pozzovivo
, Marzio Bruseghin
, Filippo Pozzato
, and Gilberto Simoni
all fell from their bikes at some point while the Giro was in the Netherlands. There were also many other crashes that took down so many riders it was difficult to keep track of exactly who was effected. Crashing and, consequently, falling away from the leading group on the road, meant different things for different riders. For sprinters like Farrar and Petacchi, crashing meant they were unlikely to be able to contest the finishes for stage wins, while overall contenders like Wiggins and Sastre lost time in the general classification
. For the second year in a row, Vandevelde suffered a broken collarbone as a result of his crash, consequently abandoning the race. Despite crashing during stage 2, Farrar got up and was able to win the stage from a depleted field sprint. The state of the roads in the Netherlands and the sheer quantity of crashes that took place there incurred much criticism and questions over whether they should be included in a Grand Tour. Cadel Evans
and Alexander Vinokourov
both took the pink jersey while the Giro was in the Netherlands. Vinokourov held it prior to the transfer to Italy, with six riders from three teams within 10 seconds of him, meaning the pink jersey still remained very much in flux.
After the transfer, the first stage in Italy was a team time trial
, a race where each member of the squad races against the clock together, and the team's time is taken for the fifth rider to cross the finish line. was the winning squad, and had a time gap over Vinokourov's team that was sufficiently large enough for Vincenzo Nibali
to become the fourth race leader in as many stages. At last, there was stability in the race leadership, as Nibali comfortably retained over the next two stages, both of which featured breakaways taking the day's honors while the peloton finished together. Stage 7 was a major one, incorporating stretches of gravel roads near the finish. The day on which this stage was run also happened to have very heavy rainfall, making the course muddy and dangerous. Much like had happened in the Netherlands, a great many riders crashed in this stage, perhaps chief among them Wiggins and Sastre, who both lost more than four minutes. Nibali also crashed, and upon seeing this, Alexander Vinokourov
, Damiano Cunego
, and Cadel Evans
broke free of the leading group. Evans won the stage, one of many riders to cross the finish line covered in mud, and Vinokourov took back the race leadership. Through the first mountain stage and two flat stages that followed, the overall standings did not change much, and Vinokourov retained the jersey.
Stage 11 into L'Aquila
provided for major changes to the overall standings. More than 50 riders formed the day's escape group, and they quickly took 20 minutes advantage. Among them were Sastre, Wiggins, and 's Richie Porte
, who was holding the white jersey as best young rider
and, at sixth overall, was the best-placed man in the group. Sastre, Wiggins, and Porte all had multiple support riders with them in the breakaway who set strenuous paces to keep the group away. The main field, containing the Giro's top favorites, pulled back a little time but was still nearly 13 minutes behind stage winner Evgeni Petrov at the finish. The day's result massively shuffled the overall classification. Porte was the only rider who had been in the top ten before the stage who remained there afterward, and took the pink jersey. Sastre and Wiggins, who entered the Giro as contenders but had fallen well back in the overall standings before this stage, both moved back into the top ten.
Porte kept the pink jersey for two days, conceding it to David Arroyo
, a fellow member of the L'Aquila breakaway, on stage 14 when he could not climb Monte Grappa with the leaders on the day. On this stage, the race's overall favorites began to creep back into the top of the overall classification, as previous race leaders Nibali, Vinokourov, and Evans assumed 8th through 10th in the standings. There were again great changes to the overall classification in stage 15, by way of the climb up Monte Zoncolan
. Ivan Basso
won the stage and greatly reduced his deficit to Arroyo, though the Spaniard still held the pink jersey after this stage. Evans, Scarponi, Vinokourov, and Nibali also finished well-placed and moved up. Wiggins again fell out of contention, this time conclusively so, by losing 25 minutes on the climb. Evans turned in the best ride of the pre-race favorites in the Plan de Corones time trial, closing his deficit to Basso and moving past Sastre in the overall. After this stage, the only riders left in the top ten from the L'Aquila breakaway were Arroyo, Porte, Sastre, and Robert Kišerlovski
, who all finished the Giro in the top ten.
After a stage each for the breakaway and the sprinters, during which there were no major changes to the overall standings, the riders were faced with the very climbing-intensive final two road stages. The team rode a very hard tempo in stage 19 over the Passo del Mortirolo
, which eventually whittled that group down to just Basso, Nibali, and Scarponi. They crossed the Mortirolo more than two minutes ahead of Arroyo, which was nearly enough time to make Basso the virtual race leader. Arroyo, noted as a far better descender than Basso, took very aggressive lines coming down the Mortirolo and caught up with Vinokourov, Sastre, Evans, and John Gadret
, who had been between him and the leading trio. Basso's group had only 30 seconds on Arroyo's at the start of the stage-concluding Aprica
climb, but they took more and more time as the climb went on and finished three minutes ahead, giving Basso the pink jersey with two days left to race. Arroyo elected not to try to aggressively descend any of the four large climbs on course in the final road race stage, settling for second place by riding with Basso and the other top riders in the peloton most of the day. There were a few changes in time gaps, but the same riders remained in the top ten from the previous day, as Johan Tschopp won the stage from a breakaway. The individual time trial in Verona which closed out the Giro also provided for small changes to the overall, but Basso's 15th place on the stage was easily enough to make him Giro champion. Arroyo and Nibali rounded out the podium.
Australian riders won each of the lesser jersey awards. Evans won the points classification, represented in 2010 with a red jersey in a return to the original colour scheme for the three minor classifications that reflected the colours of the Italian flag. Evans's victory came about by way of nine top-ten finishes, including a stage win, over the course of the race. This classification was tightly contested throughout the race; six different riders held the jersey, and it changed hands nine times. Matthew Lloyd
of won the green jersey for the mountains classification
, taking maximum mountains points during his stage-winning breakaway in stage 6. He made morning breakaways later on in mountain stages to take points on other climbs and consolidate his lead. Porte won the white jersey as best young rider, holding it for all but three stages. Success was widespread among the 22 teams in the race. In sharp contrast to the 2009 Giro, the only rider to win multiple stages in this year's race was Farrar, who took the sprint finishes to stages 2 and 10. , , , , , , , and each won one stage. had two stage wins, first with Wouter Weylandt
in a depleted sprint finish to stage 3 in the Netherlands, and two stages later Jérôme Pineau
led a winning breakaway across the finish line. 's Chris Anker Sørensen
won stage 8 on Monte Terminillo
after figuring into a morning breakaway, and their time trial specialist Gustav Larsson won the final race against the clock in Verona
. won multiple sprint stages, first with leadout man Matthew Goss
when ace sprinter André Greipel
missed out on the opportunity, and later Greipel himself took a win. took back-to-back stage wins, first with Petrov in L'Aquila and then with Filippo Pozzato
, who won a 10-man sprint after a late breakaway in stage 12. After there had been no Italian stage winners for the first 11 days of racing, Pozzato's stage win was the first of five in a row and six overall for Italian riders. Nibali and Basso were among those stage winners; as they also won the stage 4 team time trial, theirs was the only squad with more than two stage wins. They also won both teams classifications, the time-based Trofeo Fast Team and the points-based Trofeo Super Team. , , and did not win any stages, but Vinokourov's and Arroyo's stints in the pink jersey and Tom Stamsnijder
's win in the Traguardo Volante classification meant that they did not come away from the Giro empty-handed. Only , , , , and came away from the Giro with nothing.
, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and allowing time bonuses for the first three finishers on mass-start stages, the leader received a pink jersey. This classification was considered the most important of the Giro d'Italia, and the winner was considered the winner of the Giro.
Additionally, there was a points classification
, which awarded a red jersey. In the points classification, cyclists got points for finishing in the top 15 in a stage. Unlike in the better known points classification in the Tour de France
, the type of stage had no effect on what points were on offer – each stage had the same points available on the same scale. The win earned 25 points, second place earned 20 points, third 16, fourth 14, fifth 12, sixth 10, and one point fewer per place down to a single point for 15th. In addition, points could be won in intermediate sprints.
There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a green jersey. In the mountains classifications, points were won by reaching the top of a climb before other cyclists. Each climb was categorized as either first, second, or third category, with more points available for the higher-categorized climbs. The Cima Coppi, the race's highest point of elevation, awarded still more points than the other first-category climbs.
The fourth jersey represented the young rider classification, marked by a white jersey. This was decided the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1985 were eligible.
There were also three classifications for teams. In the Trofeo Fast Team classification, the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added; the leading team was the team with the lowest total time; the Trofeo Super Team was a team points classification, with the top 20 placed riders on each stage earning points (20 for first place, 19 for second place and so on, down to a single point for 20th) for their team; and the Fair Play classification rewarded those teams that best avoided penalty points for minor technical infringements.
The rows in the following table correspond to the jerseys awarded after that stage was run.
of the team.
Other awards included the Combativity classification, which was a compilation of points gained for position on crossing intermediate sprints, mountain passes and stage finishes. Mountains classification winner Matthew Lloyd
won this award. The Azzurri d'Italia classification was based on finishing order, but points were only awarded for the top three finishers in each stage. It was won, like the closely associated points classification, by Cadel Evans
. Additionally, the Premio della Fuga rewarded riders who took part in a breakaway at the head of the field, each rider in an escape of ten or fewer riders getting one point for each kilometre that the group stayed clear. 's Jérôme Pineau
was first in this competition. Teams were given penalty points for minor technical infringements. was most successful in avoiding penalties, and so won the Fair Play classification.
. Points were awarded to the top 20 finishers overall, and to the top five finishers in each stage.
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia , also simply known as The Giro, is a long distance road bicycle racing stage race for professional cyclists held over three weeks in May/early June in and around Italy. The Giro is one of the three Grand Tours , and is part of the UCI World Ranking calendar...
, one of cycling's Grand Tours
Grand Tour (cycling)
In road bicycle racing, a Grand Tour refers to one of the three major European professional cycling stage races:* Tour de France – Tour of France , held in July* Giro d'Italia – Tour of Italy , held in May...
. The Giro started off in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
on 8 May and stayed in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
for three stages, before leaving the country. The route included climbs such as Monte Zoncolan
Monte Zoncolan
Monte Zoncolan is a mountain in the Carnic Alps, located in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. It is one of the most demanding climbs in professional road bicycle racing, having been used in the Giro d'Italia four times and the Giro Donne once...
, Plan de Corones, the Passo del Mortirolo
Passo del Mortirolo
The Mortirolo Pass is a high mountain pass in the Alps in Italy. Also known as Passo di Foppa, it connects Mazzo di Valtellina and Val Camonica...
and the Passo di Gavia before ending in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
with an individual time trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
.
Principal favorites for overall success in the Giro included Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who is currently racing with UCI ProTeam . Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, is among the best mountain riders in the professional field in the 21st century, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders...
of the team, Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
for , and 's Carlos Sastre
Carlos Sastre
Carlos Sastre Candil is a retired Spanish professional road bicycle racer and champion of the 2008 Tour de France. Sastre rides in 2011 for UCI Professional Continental team...
. After three weeks of racing, it was Basso who claimed his second Giro d'Italia title, after also winning in 2006
2006 Giro d'Italia
The 2006 Giro d'Italia was the 89th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 6 May to 28 May 2006, and covered , beginning in the Belgian mining town of Seraing and ending in Milan...
. David Arroyo
David Arroyo
David Arroyo Durán is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, riding on the UCI ProTeam . He is one of the best climbers on his team along with team leader Alejandro Valverde. After Valverde crashed on the first week of the 2006 Tour de France, Arroyo was made team leader, until Pereiro claimed...
from and Basso's teammate Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who rides UCI ProTeam . Born near the Strait of Messina, Nibali's nickname is the "shark of the strait" or simply "the shark." His first major win came at the 2006 GP Ouest-France, where he beat an impressive field on a tough course...
rounded out the podium. Australian riders won all the lesser jersey awards, with Evans taking the points classification, 's Matthew Lloyd
Matthew Lloyd (cyclist)
Matthew Lloyd is an Australian professional road bicycle racer currently without a team, having last ridden for UCI ProTour team . Lloyd is the first Australian cyclist to win a King of the Mountains competition in a grand tour...
the winner of the mountains classification
Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia
The mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia is a secondary classification. In this classification, points are awarded to the leading riders over designated climbs. Most climbs are sorted into one of three scales based on difficulty and its position on that day's stage...
, and Richie Porte
Richie Porte
Richard "Richie" Porte is an Australian professional road bicycle racer on . In his first year in the UCI Pro Tour, Porte has been a consistent performer in the General classification at several stage races....
of the Giro's best young rider
Young rider classification in the Giro d'Italia
Since 1976, The Giro d'Italia has had a young rider classification. The leader in this classification wears the maglia bianca . The classification is determined by the best overall time, but only young cyclists were in the competition....
.
The road race stages in the Netherlands were both marred by repeated crashes, which led to some unexpected big time gaps before the transfer to Italy. The overall standings were very turbulent in the first week, with four different riders holding the race leader's pink jersey
Pink jersey statistics
Since the first Giro d'Italia in 1909, there have been 1,763 stages, up to and including the 21st stage of the 2011 Giro d'Italia. Since 1931, the race leader following each stage has been awarded the pink jersey ....
. The 11th stage greatly re-shaped the overall standings, when several riders, including Sastre, gained almost 13 minutes against the remainder of the field. Porte took the pink jersey after this stage. Two days later, Arroyo took the jersey, and kept it for five days. He eventually lost it to Basso on the first of two very difficult mountain stages to close out the Giro. Success was fairly widespread among the Giro's 22 teams, as 17 of them came away with either a stage win, classification win, or stint in the pink jersey.
Teams
The 22 teams in the race were announced on 22 March. Sixteen teams were guaranteed a place in the race by virtue of a September 2008 agreement between the UCI and the organizers of the season's three Grand ToursGrand Tour (cycling)
In road bicycle racing, a Grand Tour refers to one of the three major European professional cycling stage races:* Tour de France – Tour of France , held in July* Giro d'Italia – Tour of Italy , held in May...
. Those guaranteed a place are those who were members of the UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
at the time of the agreement. Two from this group, and , declined to participate in the race, instead focusing on the Tour de France
2010 Tour de France
The 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996...
and the Vuelta a España
2010 Vuelta a España
The 2010 Vuelta a España was held from August 28 to September 19 and was won by Vincenzo Nibali. The race began in Seville and ended, as is tradition, in Madrid.The race covered...
. Two new teams joined the ProTour for 2010. One, , participated in the race, but the other, , did not wish to participate, since they planned to send their best riders to the partially concurrent Tour of California
2010 Tour of California
The 2010 Tour of California was the fifth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 16–23, and was the first edition of the race held in the month of May, after the first four occurred in February. It was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour...
. Seven UCI Professional Continental teams, two of which ( and ) were part of the September 2008 agreement as they were members of the ProTour at that time, joined the 15 ProTour teams to round out the teams list. Each team entered a squad of nine riders, giving the event a 198-rider peloton
Peloton
The peloton , field, bunch or pack is the large main group of riders in a road bicycle race. Riders in a group save energy by riding close near other riders...
at its outset.
The race's 22 teams were:
Non-invitation of Dutch teams
The Giro, like the 2009 Vuelta a España2009 Vuelta a España
The 2009 Vuelta a España was the 64th Vuelta a España. The event took place from 29 August to 20 September 2009. For only the second time in the race's history, it began away from Spanish soil, with the race not in fact reaching Spain until Stage 5....
before it and the forthcoming Tour de France, began in the Netherlands. The two Dutch Professional Continental teams, and , had both ridden Grand Tours in 2009. Throughout the season, the two teams tried to prove their combativeness in the hopes of securing Grand Tour invites, trying especially to outdo one another. Since the openings to the Giro and the Tour were partly financed by Dutch tax money, Vacansoleil's team manager called for political help to get invites for his team, but neither Dutch team made it into either the Giro or the Tour. Consequently, neither made the Vuelta a España teams selection, either. The teams' disappointment at their non-invitation led to communications with UCI President Pat McQuaid
Pat McQuaid
Patrick "Pat" McQuaid is a former Irish professional road racing cyclist and current president of the Union Cycliste Internationale .-Background:...
, which may result in reforms to how teams are selected for the Grand Tours.
Race previews and favorites
The Giro was often described as being wide open in terms of who had the best chance to win it. This is because many notable riders, including the past three champions, did not enter. 2007 Giro d'Italia2007 Giro d'Italia
The 2007 Giro d'Italia was the 90th running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It took place from 12 May to 3 June 2007. The race began in Sardinia and finished in Milan, and featured five mountain top finishes, of which one was an individual time trial...
champion Danilo Di Luca
Danilo Di Luca
Danilo Di Luca is an Italian professional road racing cyclist who rode for numerous UCI Professional Continental teams throughout his career including Liquigas-Bianchi and . He holds victories in the Giro di Lombardia in 2001, the 2005 UCI ProTour and won both the Giro d'Italia and the spring...
, who originally finished second in the 2009 Giro d'Italia
2009 Giro d'Italia
The 2009 Giro d'Italia was the 92nd running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It was held from 9 to 31 May 2009, and marked the 100th year since the first edition of the race...
, was suspended by his national federation in February for a doping incident in the 2009 Giro. 2008 Giro d'Italia
2008 Giro d'Italia
The 2008 Giro d'Italia was the 91st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It began in Palermo on 10 May and ended in Milan on 1 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by Spaniard Alberto Contador of the cycling team...
champion Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador
Alberto Contador Velasco is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He was the winner of the 2007 Tour de France with the team. With the Astana team he has won the 2008 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2009 Tour de France, the 2010 Tour de France and won 2011 Giro...
skipped the Giro to better focus on the Tour de France
2010 Tour de France
The 2010 Tour de France was the 97th edition of the Tour de France cycle race, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It started on with an 8.9 km prologue time trial in Rotterdam, the first start in the Netherlands since 1996...
, as he also had in the previous season. After first indicating that he might defend his championship, 2009 champion Denis Menchov
Denis Menchov
Denis Nikolayevich Menchov , born 25 January 1978 in Oryol, is a professional Russian road bicycle racer for . He is a general classification rider and a climber. In 2005 he won the Vuelta a España, which he won for a second time in 2007...
also announced that he would not ride the Giro, instead focusing on the Tour de France, in order to complete the career sweep of the Grand Tours
Grand Tour (cycling)
In road bicycle racing, a Grand Tour refers to one of the three major European professional cycling stage races:* Tour de France – Tour of France , held in July* Giro d'Italia – Tour of Italy , held in May...
. Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
and Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
, leaders of the squad in the 2009 Giro, announced in October 2009 that they would ride the partially-concurrent Tour of California
2010 Tour of California
The 2010 Tour of California was the fifth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 16–23, and was the first edition of the race held in the month of May, after the first four occurred in February. It was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour...
instead of the Giro, which is why was not selected for the Giro.
Just five days before the race began, the UCI announced several riders were under suspicion of doping by virtue of irregular values in their biological passport
Biological passport
An athlete biological passport is an individual, electronic record for professional athletes, in which profiles of biological markers of doping and results of doping tests are collated over a period of time...
s. Among them was Franco Pellizotti
Franco Pellizotti
Franco Pellizotti is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, currently suspended from the sport....
, who had been set to be one of the leaders for the team and had been described as a pre-race favorite. While team firmly stood behind Pellizotti in the case and expressed anger that the UCI unveiled their findings so close to the start of the Giro, they obligingly pulled him from their squad. He was replaced by Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who rides UCI ProTeam . Born near the Strait of Messina, Nibali's nickname is the "shark of the strait" or simply "the shark." His first major win came at the 2006 GP Ouest-France, where he beat an impressive field on a tough course...
, who had been planning to ride the Tour of California as a squad leader. While not an overall favorite, Alessandro Ballan
Alessandro Ballan
Alessandro Ballan is an Italian professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team , and is a former world champion. Although he possesses a frame that is usually more associated with climbing, Ballan has established himself as a leading spring classics contender in recent years...
intended to participate in the race, stating in October that it was a certainty he would start, after missing out on the Giro in 2009 when he was world champion. This was an indication well in advance that the was in line for an invite to the race. Ballan was later suspended by his team as a result of an internal doping investigation, meaning he had to miss the Giro. He was later cleared of any wrongdoing.
Most pre-race analyses identified Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who is currently racing with UCI ProTeam . Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, is among the best mountain riders in the professional field in the 21st century, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders...
, Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
, and Carlos Sastre
Carlos Sastre
Carlos Sastre Candil is a retired Spanish professional road bicycle racer and champion of the 2008 Tour de France. Sastre rides in 2011 for UCI Professional Continental team...
as the major favorites to win the overall classification, with Evans perhaps the consensus pick. Basso and Sastre had both ridden the Giro in 2009 and come away finishing in the top five. Sastre also won two difficult mountain stages in the race's final week, and was noted as a rider who gets stronger as a race goes along, making the Giro's very climbing-intensive third week possibly sit in his favor. Evans had finished on a Grand Tour podium in each of the past three seasons, including in the most recent three-week event, the 2009 Vuelta a España. He also entered the race as the reigning world cycling champion and had had a successful 2010 season to date, with a win in La Flèche Wallonne
2010 La Flèche Wallonne
The 2010 La Flèche Wallonne cycling race took place on 21 April 2010. It was the 74th running of the La Flèche Wallonne between Charleroi and Huy in Belgium. It was won by the World Champion Cadel Evans.-Teams:...
and a podium finish in the Tirreno–Adriatico
2010 Tirreno–Adriatico
The 2010 Tirreno–Adriatico was the 45th running of the Tirreno–Adriatico stage race. It started on 10 March and finished on 16 March. The race started in Livorno and ended San Benedetto del Tronto...
. Neither Basso nor Sastre had raced much in the 2010 season prior to the Giro. Other riders named as contenders included Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines....
, former Giro winners Damiano Cunego
Damiano Cunego
Damiano Cunego is an Italian professional road racing cyclist who rides for the Italian UCI ProTeam . His biggest wins are the 2004 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Amstel Gold Race, and the Giro di Lombardia in 2004, 2007, 2008. He finished second in the UCI Road World Championships in 2008 and in the...
and Stefano Garzelli
Stefano Garzelli
Stefano Garzelli is an Italian professional road racing cyclist. The high point of his career to date was his overall win in the 2000 Giro d'Italia, after a close three-way competition with Gilberto Simoni and Francesco Casagrande.-Career:He started out as being a domestique for Marco Pantani but...
, Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana...
, Marzio Bruseghin
Marzio Bruseghin
Marzio Bruseghin is an Italian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His best achievement is winning the 2006 Italian time-trial championship, as well as winning two time trial stages in the Giro d'Italia...
, Christian Vandevelde
Christian Vandevelde
Christian Vande Velde is an American professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for . The son of United States Bicycling Hall of Fame inductee John Vande Velde, Christian became professional in 1998 for US Postal.He twice rode on the Tour de France team that brought Lance Armstrong to...
, Domenico Pozzovivo
Domenico Pozzovivo
Domenico Pozzovivo s an Italian professional road racing cyclist for UCI Professional Continental team Colnago-CSF Inox.- Palmarès :20072008...
, David Moncoutié
David Moncoutié
David Moncoutié is a French professional road racing cyclist with the French team Cofidis, with whom he turned professional in 1997. He is a climber, and won his first professional race in a mountain stage of Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré...
, and Michele Scarponi
Michele Scarponi
Michele Scarponi is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, currently riding for UCI ProTeam .In 2006, Scarponi was implicated in the Operación Puerto doping case...
. Race director Angelo Zomegnan also named Basso, Evans, and Sastre as his three favorites, and included Wiggins and Linus Gerdemann
Linus Gerdemann
Linus Gerdemann is a German professional road bicycle racer who currently rides for .-Career:After riding on amateur teams Team Winfix and Team AKUD Arnolds Sicherheit, in 2005 he became a professional rider for after a recommendation from Jens Voigt, signing on for a 2-year contract...
as possible darkhorses.
Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish
Mark Cavendish MBE is a Manx professional road racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam until the end of this season when the team is dissolved. He will join Team Sky at the start of the 2012 season...
and Daniele Bennati
Daniele Bennati
Daniele Bennati is an Italian road racing cyclist specializing in fast sprint finishes. He currently rides for UCI ProTeam . He turned professional in 2002, when he joined the team and wore zebra stripes as part of Mario Cipollini’s leadout train...
, stage winners in the past two editions of the Giro, were absent from this race, but several top sprinters took the start in Amsterdam. These included Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season...
, André Greipel
Andre Greipel
André Greipel is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .He currently lives in Hürth, close to Cologne in Germany...
, and Alessandro Petacchi
Alessandro Petacchi
Alessandro Petacchi is an Italian professional road racing cyclist for .A specialist sprinter, Petacchi has won 51 grand tour stages with wins of the points jersey in the Giro d'Italia in 2004, the Vuelta a España in 2005 and the Tour de France in 2010.In 2007 Alessandro was banned from cycling...
, all of whom had themselves won Grand Tour stages in 2009 and figured to be top favorites for the Giro's flat stages. Former Tour de France points classification
Points classification in the Tour de France
The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition...
winner Óscar Freire
Óscar Freire
Óscar Freire Gómez is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, riding for the UCI ProTeam Rabobank. He is one of the top sprinters in road bicycle racing, having won the world championship a three times, equalling Alfredo Binda, Rik Van Steenbergen and Eddy Merckx...
intended to make his Giro debut in this race, but he pulled out due to sinusitis
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, which may be due to infection, allergy, or autoimmune issues. Most cases are due to a viral infection and resolve over the course of 10 days...
shortly before the race started. Other sprinters in the Giro peloton included Robbie McEwen
Robbie McEwen
Robbie McEwen is an Australian professional road bicycle racer, for on the UCI ProTour, specializing in sprint finishes...
, Freire's teammate Graeme Brown
Graeme Brown
Graeme Allen Brown OAM is a professional cyclist and dual Olympic gold medallist from Australia.-Cycling career - road and track:...
, Baden Cooke
Baden Cooke
Baden Cooke is an Australian professional racing cyclist for UCI ProTour team .Cooke began competitive cycling at 11. He completed secondary school at Galen College in Wangaratta, Victoria....
, Leonardo Duque
Leonardo Duque
Leonardo Fabio Duque is a Colombian professional road racing cyclist. After stage 19 of the 2009 Tour de France, Duque was named the most combative rider of the stage after aggressively pacing a breakaway....
, Sebastian Haedo, Wouter Weylandt
Wouter Weylandt
Wouter Weylandt was a Belgian professional cyclist for UCI ProTeam and later for . His first major win was the 17th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a España. He also won the 3rd stage of the 2010 Giro d'Italia...
, and Greg Henderson
Greg Henderson
Gregory Henderson is a professional track and road racing cyclist who rides for , but who will ride for Lotto in 2012. His career includes winning the 15 km scratch race at the 2004 world championships and, in road cycling, winning the points competition at the 2005 Tour de Georgia. He...
.
Route and stages
The Giro's 21 stages were divided into the following classifications by race organizers Gazzetta dello Sport: four time trialTime trial
In many racing sports an athlete will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. In cycling, for example, a time trial can be a single track cycling event, or an individual or team time trial on the road, and either or both of the latter may form components of...
s (three individual
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
and one team
Team time trial
A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart...
), seven flat stages, five mixed stages, and six mountain stages. The race began in the Netherlands, the ninth time in the Giro's history that the race began outside Italy, and the first since 2006's start in Belgium. A short individual time trial and two flat stages were held there. Starting the race away from Italy meant that an early rest day, coming just three days into the 23-day race, was necessary to transfer to Italy. The first stage upon entering Italy was a team time trial, the fifth consecutive year that discipline had featured in the Giro. Stage 7 visited Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
and was raced partly on unpaved roads used yearly in the Italian semi-classic Montepaschi Strade Bianche. The course honored Italian cycling legends Gino Bartali
Gino Bartali
Gino Bartali, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was the most renowned Italian cyclist before the Second World War, having won the Giro d'Italia twice and the Tour de France in 1938...
, Fausto Coppi
Fausto Coppi
Angelo Fausto Coppi, , was the dominant international cyclist of the years each side of the Second World War. His successes earned him the title Il Campionissimo, or champion of champions...
, and Costante Girardengo
Costante Girardengo
Costante Girardengo was an Italian professional road bicycle racer, considered by many to be one of the finest riders in the history of the sport. He was the first rider to be declared a "Campionissimo" or "champion of champions" by the Italian media and fans...
by passing through their hometowns in the first road race stages in Italy.
Five stages ended with climbs, with most coming in the race's last week. The first was stage 8 to Monte Terminillo
Monte Terminillo
Monte Terminillo is a massif in the Monti Reatini, part of the Abruzzese Apennines range in central Italy. It is located some 20 km from Rieti and 100 km from Rome and has a highest altitude of ....
, a 16.1 km (10 mi) long climb gaining 1672 m (5,485.6 ft) of vertical elevation for an average gradient of 7.3 percent, one of the most difficult climbs in the Apennine Mountains
Apennine mountains
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains or Greek oros but just as often used alone as a noun. The ancient Greeks and Romans typically but not always used "mountain" in the singular to mean one or a range; thus, "the Apennine mountain" refers to the entire chain and is translated "the Apennine...
in the region of Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
. The next was Monte Zoncolan
Monte Zoncolan
Monte Zoncolan is a mountain in the Carnic Alps, located in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. It is one of the most demanding climbs in professional road bicycle racing, having been used in the Giro d'Italia four times and the Giro Donne once...
in the Carnic Alps
Carnic Alps
The Carnic Alps are a range of the Southern Limestone Alps in East Tyrol, Carinthia, South Tyrol and Friuli . They extend from east to west for about between the Gail River, a tributary of the Drava and the Tagliamento, forming the border between Austria and Italy.They are named after the Roman...
, which at 10.5 km (6.5 mi) in length was shorter than some of the other climbs in the race, but with 1210 m (3,969.8 ft) of vertical gain in that time, its 20 percent maximum gradient made it one of the most difficult. The Stage 16 individual time trial went to Plan de Corones, on a course identical to the one used in the 2008 Giro d'Italia
2008 Giro d'Italia
The 2008 Giro d'Italia was the 91st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It began in Palermo on 10 May and ended in Milan on 1 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by Spaniard Alberto Contador of the cycling team...
. In 12.9 km (8 mi), this stage gained over 1000 m (3,280.8 ft) and featured a section with 24 percent gradients in the final kilometer. The Giro's last two road race stages were especially climbing-intensive, including the Passo del Mortirolo
Passo del Mortirolo
The Mortirolo Pass is a high mountain pass in the Alps in Italy. Also known as Passo di Foppa, it connects Mazzo di Valtellina and Val Camonica...
, rising 1250 m (4,101 ft) in 12.8 km (8 mi) for an average gradient of 10 percent, and the Passo di Gavia, known for being climbed during the 1988 Giro d'Italia
1988 Giro d'Italia
The 1988 Giro d'Italia was the 71st edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours.The Giro started off in Urbino on 23 May. The route included notable climbs such as the Passo di Gavia, the Campitello Matese, the Chiesa in Valmalenco, and the Passo san Marco...
in the middle of a driving blizzard. The Gavia was also the Cima Coppi, the race's highest point, and Stage 20, in which it featured, was considered the queen stage. Other climbs during the race included the Passo del Bratello, Monte Grappa, the Passo delle Palade
Passo delle Palade
Gampen Pass ; is a high mountain pass in the South Tyrol, northern Italy. It connects Lana in the Adige valley and Fondo in the Val di Non. The pass is open year-round...
, the Passo di Santa Cristina, the Forcola di Livigno, and the last climb of the race, the Passo del Tonale. Most of these climbs also featured difficult descents.
The route was noted to appeal to many types of riders, be they climbers, sprinters
Cycling sprinter
A cycling sprinter is a road bicycle racer or track racer who can finish a race very explosively by accelerating quickly to a high speed, often using the slipstream of another cyclist or group of cyclists tactically to conserve energy.-The road sprinter:...
, or time trialists. The race had seven flat stages which figured into end in mass sprints, and the hilly mixed stages were inviting for breakaways. Sastre, one of the first riders to announce he would ride the Giro, commented that the route was much harder than that of the 2009 Giro, and would demand a very strong climber to be its champion. Zomegnan concurred that the route favored climbers, noting that the distance spent time trialing was not great and that it would take errors from climbing specialists to allow a rider better suited for time trialing to be Giro champion.
| Stage | Date | Course | Distance | Type | Winner | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 May | Amsterdam Amsterdam Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... (Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... ) |
8.4 km (5.2 mi) |  |
Individual time trial Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
||
| 2 | 9 May | Amsterdam to Utrecht Utrecht (city) Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features... (Netherlands) |
209 km (130 mi) |  |
Flat stage | ||
| 3 | 10 May | Amsterdam to Middelburg (Netherlands) | 224 km (139 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 11 May | Rest day (Savigliano Savigliano Savigliano is a comune of Piedmont, northern Italy, in the Province of Cuneo, c. 50 kilometers south of Turin by rail.... ) |
||||||
| 4 | 12 May | Savigliano to Cuneo Cuneo Cuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the third largest of Italy’s provinces by area... |
32.5 km (20.2 mi) | |
Team time trial Team time trial A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart... |
||
| 5 | 13 May | Novara Novara Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin... to Novi Ligure Novi Ligure Novi Ligure is a town and comune north of Genoa, in the Piedmont region of the province of Alessandria of northwest Italy.The town produces food, iron, steel, and textiles. It is an important junction for both road and railroad.... |
168 km (104 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 6 | 14 May | Fidenza Fidenza Fidenza is a town and comune in the province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna region, Italy. It has around 24,000 inhabitants. The town was renamed Fidenza in 1927, recalling its Roman name of Fidentia; before, it was called Borgo San Donnino.-History:... to Marina di Carrara |
166 km (103 mi) |  |
Mixed stage | ||
| 7 | 15 May | Carrara to Montalcino Montalcino Montalcino is a hilltown and comune in Tuscany, Italy. It is famous for its Brunello di Montalcino wine.The town is located to the west of Pienza, close to the Crete Senesi in Val d'Orcia. It is 42 km from Siena, 110 km from Florence and 150 km from Pisa... |
215 km (134 mi) | |
Mixed stage | ||
| 8 | 16 May | Chianciano Chianciano Terme Chianciano Terme is a comune in the Province of Siena in the Italian region Tuscany, located about 90 km southeast of Florence and about 50 km southeast of Siena... to Monte Terminillo Monte Terminillo Monte Terminillo is a massif in the Monti Reatini, part of the Abruzzese Apennines range in central Italy. It is located some 20 km from Rieti and 100 km from Rome and has a highest altitude of .... |
189 km (117 mi) |  |
Mountain stage | ||
| 9 | 17 May | Frosinone Frosinone Frosinone is a town and comune in Lazio, central Italy, the administrative seat of the Province of Frosinone. It is located about 75 km south-east of Rome close to the Rome-Naples Autostrada A1... to Cava de' Tirreni Cava de' Tirreni Cava de’ Tirreni is a city and comune in the region of Campania, Italy, in the province of Salerno, 10 km northwest of the town of Salerno... |
188 km (117 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 10 | 18 May | Avellino Avellino Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the... to Bitonto Bitonto Bitonto is a city and comune in the province of Bari , Italy. It is nicknamed the "City of Olives" due to the numerous olive groves surrounding the city.-Geography:... |
220 km (137 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 11 | 19 May | Lucera Lucera Lucera is a town and comune in the Province of Foggia, in the Apulia region of southern Italy.-Ancient era and early Middle Ages :Lucera is an ancient city founded in Daunia, the centre of Dauni territory . Archeological excavations show the presence of a bronze age village inside the city boundaries... to L'Aquila L'Aquila L'Aquila is a city and comune in central Italy, both the capital city of the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 73,150 inhabitants, but has a daily presence in the territory of 100,000 people for study, tertiary activities, jobs and tourism... |
256 km (159 mi) | |
Mixed stage | ||
| 12 | 20 May | Città Sant'Angelo Città Sant'Angelo Città Sant'Angelo is a town and comune in the province of Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy.-History:Located in the eastern portion of the Vestine region. Mentioned by Plinius as one of four Vestini cities, Angelus or Angulum, where today Città Sant’Angelo stands. It is cited from the 12th century as... to Porto Recanati Porto Recanati Porto Recanati is a town and comune in the centre of Italy, on the eastern coast on the Adriatic sea. It is located in the province of Macerata, in the Marche region.-Overview:... |
191 km (119 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 13 | 21 May | Porto Recanati to Cesenatico Cesenatico Cesenatico is a port town with about 20,000 inhabitants on the Adriatic coast of Italy. It is located in the province of Forlì-Cesena in the region of Emilia-Romagna, about 30 km south of Ravenna... |
222 km (138 mi) | |
Mixed stage | ||
| 14 | 22 May | Ferrara Ferrara Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north... to Asolo (Monte Grappa) Asolo Asolo is a town and comune in the Veneto Region of Northern Italy. It is known as "The Pearl of the province of Treviso", and also as "The City of a Hundred Horizons" for its mountain settings.-History:... |
201 km (125 mi) | |
Mountain stage | ||
| 15 | 23 May | Mestre Mestre Mestre is a city part of the comune of Venice, in Veneto, northern Italy.The city is connected to Venice by a large rail and road bridge, called Ponte della Libertà .... to Zoncolan Monte Zoncolan Monte Zoncolan is a mountain in the Carnic Alps, located in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. It is one of the most demanding climbs in professional road bicycle racing, having been used in the Giro d'Italia four times and the Giro Donne once... |
161 km (100 mi) | |
Mountain stage | ||
| 24 May | Rest day (Mareo Mareo Mareo is a comune in South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 90 km northeast of Trento and about 50 km northeast of Bolzano .-Geography:... ) |
||||||
| 16 | 25 May | Mareo to Plan de Corones | 12.9 km (8 mi) | |
Individual time trial Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
||
| 17 | 26 May | Bruneck Bruneck Bruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz Bruneck is the largest town in the Puster Valley in the Italian province of South Tyrol. Bruneck lies at the confluence of the Ahr with the Rienz... to Peio Terme Peio Peio is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 50 km northwest of Trento... |
173 km (107 mi) | |
Mixed stage | ||
| 18 | 27 May | Levico Terme Levico Terme Levico Terme is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 15 km southeast of Trento... to Brescia Brescia Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan... |
151 km (94 mi) | |
Flat stage | ||
| 19 | 28 May | Brescia to Aprica Aprica Aprica is a town and comune in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy, northern Italy. It is located on the eponymous pass, the most favourable one connecting Valtellina to Val Camonica.Its main activity is winter tourism.-External links:* * *... |
195 km (121 mi) | |
Mountain stage | ||
| 20 | 29 May | Bormio Bormio Bormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200... to Passo del Tonale |
178 km (111 mi) | |
Mountain stage | ||
| 21 | 30 May | Verona Verona Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona... |
15.3 km (9.5 mi) | |
Individual time trial Individual time trial An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials... |
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| TOTAL | 3418 km (2,124 mi) | ||||||
Race overview
The Giro began in AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
with an individual time trial
Individual time trial
An individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
. Favorites for the stage included two British riders, captain Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Wiggins
Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines....
and ' David Millar
David Millar
David Millar is a British road racing cyclist riding for . He has won three stages of the Tour de France, two of the Vuelta a España and one Stage of the Giro d'Italia. He was the British national road champion and the national time trial champion, both in 2007...
. Several riders in the Giro peloton considered Wiggins the prohibitive favorite. Wiggins won the stage, securing the first pink jersey. A major surprise on the stage was Grand Tour rookie Brent Bookwalter from coming in second, just 2 seconds off Wiggins' winning time. Millar was seventh, 6 seconds back. This set the stage for a turbulent opening to the Giro, as both of the road race stages in the Netherlands featured several crashes. The courses for the road stages in the Netherlands were noted to have a lot of street furniture
Street furniture
Street furniture is a collective term for objects and pieces of equipment installed on streets and roads for various purposes, including traffic barriers,...
on them, which combined with the riders' nerves on the first day of a three-week Grand Tour as well as crosswinds from the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
to make the first mass-start stages very perilous. Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar
Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season...
, Carlos Sastre
Carlos Sastre
Carlos Sastre Candil is a retired Spanish professional road bicycle racer and champion of the 2008 Tour de France. Sastre rides in 2011 for UCI Professional Continental team...
, Christian Vandevelde
Christian Vandevelde
Christian Vande Velde is an American professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for . The son of United States Bicycling Hall of Fame inductee John Vande Velde, Christian became professional in 1998 for US Postal.He twice rode on the Tour de France team that brought Lance Armstrong to...
, Greg Henderson
Greg Henderson
Gregory Henderson is a professional track and road racing cyclist who rides for , but who will ride for Lotto in 2012. His career includes winning the 15 km scratch race at the 2004 world championships and, in road cycling, winning the points competition at the 2005 Tour de Georgia. He...
, Wiggins, Alessandro Petacchi
Alessandro Petacchi
Alessandro Petacchi is an Italian professional road racing cyclist for .A specialist sprinter, Petacchi has won 51 grand tour stages with wins of the points jersey in the Giro d'Italia in 2004, the Vuelta a España in 2005 and the Tour de France in 2010.In 2007 Alessandro was banned from cycling...
, Domenico Pozzovivo
Domenico Pozzovivo
Domenico Pozzovivo s an Italian professional road racing cyclist for UCI Professional Continental team Colnago-CSF Inox.- Palmarès :20072008...
, Marzio Bruseghin
Marzio Bruseghin
Marzio Bruseghin is an Italian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His best achievement is winning the 2006 Italian time-trial championship, as well as winning two time trial stages in the Giro d'Italia...
, Filippo Pozzato
Filippo Pozzato
Filippo "Pippo" Pozzato is an Italian road racing cyclist with UCI ProTour Team Katusha.-Career:...
, and Gilberto Simoni
Gilberto Simoni
Gilberto Simoni is an Italian ex-professional road bicycle racer, most recently for . Simoni is twice winner of the Giro d'Italia cycling race...
all fell from their bikes at some point while the Giro was in the Netherlands. There were also many other crashes that took down so many riders it was difficult to keep track of exactly who was effected. Crashing and, consequently, falling away from the leading group on the road, meant different things for different riders. For sprinters like Farrar and Petacchi, crashing meant they were unlikely to be able to contest the finishes for stage wins, while overall contenders like Wiggins and Sastre lost time in the general classification
General Classification
The general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
. For the second year in a row, Vandevelde suffered a broken collarbone as a result of his crash, consequently abandoning the race. Despite crashing during stage 2, Farrar got up and was able to win the stage from a depleted field sprint. The state of the roads in the Netherlands and the sheer quantity of crashes that took place there incurred much criticism and questions over whether they should be included in a Grand Tour. Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
and Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana...
both took the pink jersey while the Giro was in the Netherlands. Vinokourov held it prior to the transfer to Italy, with six riders from three teams within 10 seconds of him, meaning the pink jersey still remained very much in flux.
After the transfer, the first stage in Italy was a team time trial
Team time trial
A team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart...
, a race where each member of the squad races against the clock together, and the team's time is taken for the fifth rider to cross the finish line. was the winning squad, and had a time gap over Vinokourov's team that was sufficiently large enough for Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali
Vincenzo Nibali is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who rides UCI ProTeam . Born near the Strait of Messina, Nibali's nickname is the "shark of the strait" or simply "the shark." His first major win came at the 2006 GP Ouest-France, where he beat an impressive field on a tough course...
to become the fourth race leader in as many stages. At last, there was stability in the race leadership, as Nibali comfortably retained over the next two stages, both of which featured breakaways taking the day's honors while the peloton finished together. Stage 7 was a major one, incorporating stretches of gravel roads near the finish. The day on which this stage was run also happened to have very heavy rainfall, making the course muddy and dangerous. Much like had happened in the Netherlands, a great many riders crashed in this stage, perhaps chief among them Wiggins and Sastre, who both lost more than four minutes. Nibali also crashed, and upon seeing this, Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Vinokourov
Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana...
, Damiano Cunego
Damiano Cunego
Damiano Cunego is an Italian professional road racing cyclist who rides for the Italian UCI ProTeam . His biggest wins are the 2004 Giro d'Italia, the 2008 Amstel Gold Race, and the Giro di Lombardia in 2004, 2007, 2008. He finished second in the UCI Road World Championships in 2008 and in the...
, and Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
broke free of the leading group. Evans won the stage, one of many riders to cross the finish line covered in mud, and Vinokourov took back the race leadership. Through the first mountain stage and two flat stages that followed, the overall standings did not change much, and Vinokourov retained the jersey.
Stage 11 into L'Aquila
L'Aquila
L'Aquila is a city and comune in central Italy, both the capital city of the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 73,150 inhabitants, but has a daily presence in the territory of 100,000 people for study, tertiary activities, jobs and tourism...
provided for major changes to the overall standings. More than 50 riders formed the day's escape group, and they quickly took 20 minutes advantage. Among them were Sastre, Wiggins, and 's Richie Porte
Richie Porte
Richard "Richie" Porte is an Australian professional road bicycle racer on . In his first year in the UCI Pro Tour, Porte has been a consistent performer in the General classification at several stage races....
, who was holding the white jersey as best young rider
Young rider classification in the Giro d'Italia
Since 1976, The Giro d'Italia has had a young rider classification. The leader in this classification wears the maglia bianca . The classification is determined by the best overall time, but only young cyclists were in the competition....
and, at sixth overall, was the best-placed man in the group. Sastre, Wiggins, and Porte all had multiple support riders with them in the breakaway who set strenuous paces to keep the group away. The main field, containing the Giro's top favorites, pulled back a little time but was still nearly 13 minutes behind stage winner Evgeni Petrov at the finish. The day's result massively shuffled the overall classification. Porte was the only rider who had been in the top ten before the stage who remained there afterward, and took the pink jersey. Sastre and Wiggins, who entered the Giro as contenders but had fallen well back in the overall standings before this stage, both moved back into the top ten.
Porte kept the pink jersey for two days, conceding it to David Arroyo
David Arroyo
David Arroyo Durán is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, riding on the UCI ProTeam . He is one of the best climbers on his team along with team leader Alejandro Valverde. After Valverde crashed on the first week of the 2006 Tour de France, Arroyo was made team leader, until Pereiro claimed...
, a fellow member of the L'Aquila breakaway, on stage 14 when he could not climb Monte Grappa with the leaders on the day. On this stage, the race's overall favorites began to creep back into the top of the overall classification, as previous race leaders Nibali, Vinokourov, and Evans assumed 8th through 10th in the standings. There were again great changes to the overall classification in stage 15, by way of the climb up Monte Zoncolan
Monte Zoncolan
Monte Zoncolan is a mountain in the Carnic Alps, located in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. It is one of the most demanding climbs in professional road bicycle racing, having been used in the Giro d'Italia four times and the Giro Donne once...
. Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso
Ivan Basso is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who is currently racing with UCI ProTeam . Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, is among the best mountain riders in the professional field in the 21st century, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders...
won the stage and greatly reduced his deficit to Arroyo, though the Spaniard still held the pink jersey after this stage. Evans, Scarponi, Vinokourov, and Nibali also finished well-placed and moved up. Wiggins again fell out of contention, this time conclusively so, by losing 25 minutes on the climb. Evans turned in the best ride of the pre-race favorites in the Plan de Corones time trial, closing his deficit to Basso and moving past Sastre in the overall. After this stage, the only riders left in the top ten from the L'Aquila breakaway were Arroyo, Porte, Sastre, and Robert Kišerlovski
Robert Kiserlovski
Robert Kišerlovski is a Croatian professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He turned professional in 2005.At the 2011 Paris–Nice, Kišerlovski crashed on a slippery downhill and slid underneath a parked truck, being caught underneath it for several minutes and needing eight stitches.-...
, who all finished the Giro in the top ten.
After a stage each for the breakaway and the sprinters, during which there were no major changes to the overall standings, the riders were faced with the very climbing-intensive final two road stages. The team rode a very hard tempo in stage 19 over the Passo del Mortirolo
Passo del Mortirolo
The Mortirolo Pass is a high mountain pass in the Alps in Italy. Also known as Passo di Foppa, it connects Mazzo di Valtellina and Val Camonica...
, which eventually whittled that group down to just Basso, Nibali, and Scarponi. They crossed the Mortirolo more than two minutes ahead of Arroyo, which was nearly enough time to make Basso the virtual race leader. Arroyo, noted as a far better descender than Basso, took very aggressive lines coming down the Mortirolo and caught up with Vinokourov, Sastre, Evans, and John Gadret
John Gadret
John Gadret is a French professional racing cyclist in cyclo-cross and road racing disciplines for UCI ProTour team . He became a stagiaire for Cofidis in 2003 before turning professional with the team in 2004....
, who had been between him and the leading trio. Basso's group had only 30 seconds on Arroyo's at the start of the stage-concluding Aprica
Aprica
Aprica is a town and comune in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy, northern Italy. It is located on the eponymous pass, the most favourable one connecting Valtellina to Val Camonica.Its main activity is winter tourism.-External links:* * *...
climb, but they took more and more time as the climb went on and finished three minutes ahead, giving Basso the pink jersey with two days left to race. Arroyo elected not to try to aggressively descend any of the four large climbs on course in the final road race stage, settling for second place by riding with Basso and the other top riders in the peloton most of the day. There were a few changes in time gaps, but the same riders remained in the top ten from the previous day, as Johan Tschopp won the stage from a breakaway. The individual time trial in Verona which closed out the Giro also provided for small changes to the overall, but Basso's 15th place on the stage was easily enough to make him Giro champion. Arroyo and Nibali rounded out the podium.
Australian riders won each of the lesser jersey awards. Evans won the points classification, represented in 2010 with a red jersey in a return to the original colour scheme for the three minor classifications that reflected the colours of the Italian flag. Evans's victory came about by way of nine top-ten finishes, including a stage win, over the course of the race. This classification was tightly contested throughout the race; six different riders held the jersey, and it changed hands nine times. Matthew Lloyd
Matthew Lloyd (cyclist)
Matthew Lloyd is an Australian professional road bicycle racer currently without a team, having last ridden for UCI ProTour team . Lloyd is the first Australian cyclist to win a King of the Mountains competition in a grand tour...
of won the green jersey for the mountains classification
Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia
The mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia is a secondary classification. In this classification, points are awarded to the leading riders over designated climbs. Most climbs are sorted into one of three scales based on difficulty and its position on that day's stage...
, taking maximum mountains points during his stage-winning breakaway in stage 6. He made morning breakaways later on in mountain stages to take points on other climbs and consolidate his lead. Porte won the white jersey as best young rider, holding it for all but three stages. Success was widespread among the 22 teams in the race. In sharp contrast to the 2009 Giro, the only rider to win multiple stages in this year's race was Farrar, who took the sprint finishes to stages 2 and 10. , , , , , , , and each won one stage. had two stage wins, first with Wouter Weylandt
Wouter Weylandt
Wouter Weylandt was a Belgian professional cyclist for UCI ProTeam and later for . His first major win was the 17th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a España. He also won the 3rd stage of the 2010 Giro d'Italia...
in a depleted sprint finish to stage 3 in the Netherlands, and two stages later Jérôme Pineau
Jérôme Pineau
Jérôme Pineau is a French professional road bicycle racer. In 2009, he rides on the UCI ProTour for .- Major achievements :20022003-External links:*...
led a winning breakaway across the finish line. 's Chris Anker Sørensen
Chris Anker Sørensen
Chris Anker Sørensen is a Danish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour .Chris Anker Sørensen started his professional career in 2007 with Team CSC...
won stage 8 on Monte Terminillo
Monte Terminillo
Monte Terminillo is a massif in the Monti Reatini, part of the Abruzzese Apennines range in central Italy. It is located some 20 km from Rieti and 100 km from Rome and has a highest altitude of ....
after figuring into a morning breakaway, and their time trial specialist Gustav Larsson won the final race against the clock in Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
. won multiple sprint stages, first with leadout man Matthew Goss
Matthew Goss
Matthew Harley Goss is an Australian professional road and track racing cyclist, currently riding for the UCI ProTour outfit .-Career:Goss started in the business with track cycling...
when ace sprinter André Greipel
Andre Greipel
André Greipel is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .He currently lives in Hürth, close to Cologne in Germany...
missed out on the opportunity, and later Greipel himself took a win. took back-to-back stage wins, first with Petrov in L'Aquila and then with Filippo Pozzato
Filippo Pozzato
Filippo "Pippo" Pozzato is an Italian road racing cyclist with UCI ProTour Team Katusha.-Career:...
, who won a 10-man sprint after a late breakaway in stage 12. After there had been no Italian stage winners for the first 11 days of racing, Pozzato's stage win was the first of five in a row and six overall for Italian riders. Nibali and Basso were among those stage winners; as they also won the stage 4 team time trial, theirs was the only squad with more than two stage wins. They also won both teams classifications, the time-based Trofeo Fast Team and the points-based Trofeo Super Team. , , and did not win any stages, but Vinokourov's and Arroyo's stints in the pink jersey and Tom Stamsnijder
Tom Stamsnijder
Tom Stamsnijder is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam , and son of former cyclo-cross world champion Hennie Stamsnijder.- Palmares :2000...
's win in the Traguardo Volante classification meant that they did not come away from the Giro empty-handed. Only , , , , and came away from the Giro with nothing.
Classification leadership
In the 2010 Giro d'Italia, four different jerseys were awarded. For the general classificationGeneral Classification
The general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
, calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage, and allowing time bonuses for the first three finishers on mass-start stages, the leader received a pink jersey. This classification was considered the most important of the Giro d'Italia, and the winner was considered the winner of the Giro.
Additionally, there was a points classification
Points classification
The points classification is a secondary award category in road bicycle racing. Points are given for high finishes and, in some cases, for winning intermediate sprints. The points classification is the top prize for many cycling sprinters and therefore is often known as the Sprint Classification;...
, which awarded a red jersey. In the points classification, cyclists got points for finishing in the top 15 in a stage. Unlike in the better known points classification in the Tour de France
Points classification in the Tour de France
The points classification in the Tour de France is a secondary competition in the Tour de France, that started in 1953. Points are given for high finishes in a stage and for winning intermediate sprints, and these are recorded in a points classification. It is considered a sprinters' competition...
, the type of stage had no effect on what points were on offer – each stage had the same points available on the same scale. The win earned 25 points, second place earned 20 points, third 16, fourth 14, fifth 12, sixth 10, and one point fewer per place down to a single point for 15th. In addition, points could be won in intermediate sprints.
There was also a mountains classification, the leadership of which was marked by a green jersey. In the mountains classifications, points were won by reaching the top of a climb before other cyclists. Each climb was categorized as either first, second, or third category, with more points available for the higher-categorized climbs. The Cima Coppi, the race's highest point of elevation, awarded still more points than the other first-category climbs.
The fourth jersey represented the young rider classification, marked by a white jersey. This was decided the same way as the general classification, but only riders born after 1 January 1985 were eligible.
There were also three classifications for teams. In the Trofeo Fast Team classification, the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added; the leading team was the team with the lowest total time; the Trofeo Super Team was a team points classification, with the top 20 placed riders on each stage earning points (20 for first place, 19 for second place and so on, down to a single point for 20th) for their team; and the Fair Play classification rewarded those teams that best avoided penalty points for minor technical infringements.
The rows in the following table correspond to the jerseys awarded after that stage was run.
| Stage | Winner | General classification General Classification The general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...  |
Points classification Points classification The points classification is a secondary award category in road bicycle racing. Points are given for high finishes and, in some cases, for winning intermediate sprints. The points classification is the top prize for many cycling sprinters and therefore is often known as the Sprint Classification;...  |
Mountains classification |
Young rider classification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bradley Wiggins Bradley Wiggins Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines.... |
Bradley Wiggins Bradley Wiggins Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines.... |
Bradley Wiggins Bradley Wiggins Bradley Marc Wiggins, CBE is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. Wiggins' career began on the track, where he specialised in the pursuit and madison disciplines.... |
not awarded | Richie Porte Richie Porte Richard "Richie" Porte is an Australian professional road bicycle racer on . In his first year in the UCI Pro Tour, Porte has been a consistent performer in the General classification at several stage races.... |
| 2 | Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season... |
Cadel Evans Cadel Evans Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in... |
Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season... |
Paul Voss Paul Voss Paul Voss is a German professional road bicycle racer for Endura Racing.-Palmarès:20102011- External links :... |
|
| 3 | Wouter Weylandt Wouter Weylandt Wouter Weylandt was a Belgian professional cyclist for UCI ProTeam and later for . His first major win was the 17th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a España. He also won the 3rd stage of the 2010 Giro d'Italia... |
Alexander Vinokourov Alexander Vinokourov Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana... |
Graeme Brown Graeme Brown Graeme Allen Brown OAM is a professional cyclist and dual Olympic gold medallist from Australia.-Cycling career - road and track:... |
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| 4 | Vincenzo Nibali Vincenzo Nibali Vincenzo Nibali is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who rides UCI ProTeam . Born near the Strait of Messina, Nibali's nickname is the "shark of the strait" or simply "the shark." His first major win came at the 2006 GP Ouest-France, where he beat an impressive field on a tough course... |
Valerio Agnoli Valerio Agnoli Valerio Agnoli is an Italian road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam Liquigas. Agnoli is one of the key domestiques for the Liquigas cycling team, and has often been instrumental in victories for Ivan Basso and Vincenzo Nibali during the Giro d'Italia... |
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| 5 | Jérôme Pineau Jérôme Pineau Jérôme Pineau is a French professional road bicycle racer. In 2009, he rides on the UCI ProTour for .- Major achievements :20022003-External links:*... |
Jérôme Pineau Jérôme Pineau Jérôme Pineau is a French professional road bicycle racer. In 2009, he rides on the UCI ProTour for .- Major achievements :20022003-External links:*... |
|||
| 6 | Matthew Lloyd Matthew Lloyd (cyclist) Matthew Lloyd is an Australian professional road bicycle racer currently without a team, having last ridden for UCI ProTour team . Lloyd is the first Australian cyclist to win a King of the Mountains competition in a grand tour... |
Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season... |
Matthew Lloyd Matthew Lloyd (cyclist) Matthew Lloyd is an Australian professional road bicycle racer currently without a team, having last ridden for UCI ProTour team . Lloyd is the first Australian cyclist to win a King of the Mountains competition in a grand tour... |
||
| 7 | Cadel Evans Cadel Evans Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in... |
Alexander Vinokourov Alexander Vinokourov Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana... |
Richie Porte Richie Porte Richard "Richie" Porte is an Australian professional road bicycle racer on . In his first year in the UCI Pro Tour, Porte has been a consistent performer in the General classification at several stage races.... |
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| 8 | Chris Anker Sørensen Chris Anker Sørensen Chris Anker Sørensen is a Danish professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour .Chris Anker Sørensen started his professional career in 2007 with Team CSC... |
Cadel Evans Cadel Evans Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in... |
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| 9 | Matthew Goss Matthew Goss Matthew Harley Goss is an Australian professional road and track racing cyclist, currently riding for the UCI ProTour outfit .-Career:Goss started in the business with track cycling... |
Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season... |
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| 10 | Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar Tyler Farrar is an American professional road racing cyclist since 2003.-Cycling career:Farrar started racing at 13, and rode for in 2003, in 2004, and in 2006 and 2007. In April 2006 he crashed near the finish of the Circuit de la Sarthe and broke his collarbone and missed most of the season... |
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| 11 | Evgeni Petrov | Richie Porte Richie Porte Richard "Richie" Porte is an Australian professional road bicycle racer on . In his first year in the UCI Pro Tour, Porte has been a consistent performer in the General classification at several stage races.... |
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| 12 | Filippo Pozzato Filippo Pozzato Filippo "Pippo" Pozzato is an Italian road racing cyclist with UCI ProTour Team Katusha.-Career:... |
Jérôme Pineau Jérôme Pineau Jérôme Pineau is a French professional road bicycle racer. In 2009, he rides on the UCI ProTour for .- Major achievements :20022003-External links:*... |
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| 13 | Manuel Belletti Manuel Belletti Manuel Belletti is an Italian professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team .-Palmares:20082009... |
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| 14 | Vincenzo Nibali Vincenzo Nibali Vincenzo Nibali is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who rides UCI ProTeam . Born near the Strait of Messina, Nibali's nickname is the "shark of the strait" or simply "the shark." His first major win came at the 2006 GP Ouest-France, where he beat an impressive field on a tough course... |
David Arroyo David Arroyo David Arroyo Durán is a Spanish professional road bicycle racer, riding on the UCI ProTeam . He is one of the best climbers on his team along with team leader Alejandro Valverde. After Valverde crashed on the first week of the 2006 Tour de France, Arroyo was made team leader, until Pereiro claimed... |
Alexander Vinokourov Alexander Vinokourov Alexander Nikolaevich Vinokourov, also written Alexandre Vinokourov, is an ethnically Russian Kazakhstani professional road bicycle racer who currently competes with the UCI ProTeam Astana... |
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| 15 | Ivan Basso Ivan Basso Ivan Basso is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who is currently racing with UCI ProTeam . Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, is among the best mountain riders in the professional field in the 21st century, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders... |
Cadel Evans Cadel Evans Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in... |
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| 16 | Stefano Garzelli Stefano Garzelli Stefano Garzelli is an Italian professional road racing cyclist. The high point of his career to date was his overall win in the 2000 Giro d'Italia, after a close three-way competition with Gilberto Simoni and Francesco Casagrande.-Career:He started out as being a domestique for Marco Pantani but... |
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| 17 | Damien Monier Damien Monier Damien Monier is a French professional road bicycle racer for UCI Professional Continental team Cofidis.- Palmares :2003200420052010- External links :***... |
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| 18 | André Greipel Andre Greipel André Greipel is a German professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam .He currently lives in Hürth, close to Cologne in Germany... |
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| 19 | Michele Scarponi Michele Scarponi Michele Scarponi is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, currently riding for UCI ProTeam .In 2006, Scarponi was implicated in the Operación Puerto doping case... |
Ivan Basso Ivan Basso Ivan Basso is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who is currently racing with UCI ProTeam . Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, is among the best mountain riders in the professional field in the 21st century, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders... |
Ivan Basso Ivan Basso Ivan Basso is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who is currently racing with UCI ProTeam . Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, is among the best mountain riders in the professional field in the 21st century, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders... |
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| 20 | Johann Tschopp Johann Tschopp Johann Tschopp is a Swiss professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam . He has been a professional since 2004 with Phonak Hearing Systems, during which time he has raced twice in the Giro d'Italia. He is an especially good climber since he is lightweight and his training environment is mainly... |
Matthew Lloyd Matthew Lloyd (cyclist) Matthew Lloyd is an Australian professional road bicycle racer currently without a team, having last ridden for UCI ProTour team . Lloyd is the first Australian cyclist to win a King of the Mountains competition in a grand tour... |
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| 21 | Gustav Larsson | ||||
| Final | Ivan Basso Ivan Basso Ivan Basso is an Italian professional road bicycle racer who is currently racing with UCI ProTeam . Basso, nicknamed Ivan the Terrible, is among the best mountain riders in the professional field in the 21st century, and is considered one of the strongest stage race riders... |
Cadel Evans Cadel Evans Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in... |
Matthew Lloyd Matthew Lloyd (cyclist) Matthew Lloyd is an Australian professional road bicycle racer currently without a team, having last ridden for UCI ProTour team . Lloyd is the first Australian cyclist to win a King of the Mountains competition in a grand tour... |
Richie Porte Richie Porte Richard "Richie" Porte is an Australian professional road bicycle racer on . In his first year in the UCI Pro Tour, Porte has been a consistent performer in the General classification at several stage races.... |
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Final standings
| Legend | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |
Denotes the winner of the General classification | |
Denotes the winner of the Mountains classification Mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia The mountains classification in the Giro d'Italia is a secondary classification. In this classification, points are awarded to the leading riders over designated climbs. Most climbs are sorted into one of three scales based on difficulty and its position on that day's stage... |
| |
Denotes the winner of the Points classification | |
Denotes the winner of the Young rider classification Young rider classification in the Giro d'Italia Since 1976, The Giro d'Italia has had a young rider classification. The leader in this classification wears the maglia bianca . The classification is determined by the best overall time, but only young cyclists were in the competition.... |
General classification
| Rider | Team | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
87h 44' 01" | |
| 2 | + 1' 51" | ||
| 3 | + 2' 37" | ||
| 4 | + 2' 50" | ||
| 5 | |
+ 3' 27" | |
| 6 | + 7' 06" | ||
| 7 | |
+ 7' 22" | |
| 8 | + 9' 39" | ||
| 9 | + 14' 20" | ||
| 10 | + 14' 51" |
Points classification
| Rider | Team | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
150 | |
| 2 | 128 | ||
| 3 | 116 | ||
| 4 | 110 | ||
| 5 | |
105 | |
| 6 | 74 | ||
| 7 | 69 | ||
| 8 | 67 | ||
| 9 | 64 | ||
| 10 | 64 |
Mountains classification
| Rider | Team | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
56 | |
| 2 | |
41 | |
| 3 | 38 | ||
| 4 | |
35 | |
| 5 | 25 | ||
| 6 | 20 | ||
| 7 | 16 | ||
| 8 | 16 | ||
| 9 | 15 | ||
| 10 | 15 |
Young rider classification
| Rider | Team | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
87h 51' 23" | |
| 2 | + 7' 29" | ||
| 3 | + 12' 19" | ||
| 4 | + 30' 05" | ||
| 5 | + 42' 46" | ||
| 6 | + 1h 20' 30" | ||
| 7 | + 1h 29' 44" | ||
| 8 | + 1h 30' 18" | ||
| 9 | + 1h 37' 33" | ||
| 10 | + 1h 38' 40" |
Trofeo Fast Team classification
| Pos. | Team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 262h 04' 40" | |
| 2 | + 24' 21" | |
| 3 | + 1h 05' 55" | |
| 4 | + 1h 10' 16" | |
| 5 | + 1h 10' 45" | |
| 6 | + 1h 42' 45" | |
| 7 | + 2h 06' 16" | |
| 8 | + 2h 22' 33" | |
| 9 | + 2h 23' 30" | |
| 10 | + 2h 31' 15" |
Trofeo Super Team classification
| Team | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 412 | |
| 2 | 281 | |
| 3 | 263 | |
| 4 | 251 | |
| 5 | 235 | |
| 6 | 221 | |
| 7 | 217 | |
| 8 | 217 | |
| 9 | 216 | |
| 10 | 214 |
Minor classifications
Other less well-known classifications, whose leaders did not receive a special jersey, were awarded during the Giro. These awards were based on points earned throughout the three weeks of the tour. Each mass-start stage had one intermediate sprint, the Traguardo Volante, or T.V. The T.V. gave bonus seconds towards the general classification, points towards the regular points classification, and also points towards the T.V. classification. This award was known in previous years as the "Intergiro" and the "Expo Milano 2015" classification. It was won by Tom StamsnijderTom Stamsnijder
Tom Stamsnijder is a Dutch professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTeam , and son of former cyclo-cross world champion Hennie Stamsnijder.- Palmares :2000...
of the team.
Other awards included the Combativity classification, which was a compilation of points gained for position on crossing intermediate sprints, mountain passes and stage finishes. Mountains classification winner Matthew Lloyd
Matthew Lloyd (cyclist)
Matthew Lloyd is an Australian professional road bicycle racer currently without a team, having last ridden for UCI ProTour team . Lloyd is the first Australian cyclist to win a King of the Mountains competition in a grand tour...
won this award. The Azzurri d'Italia classification was based on finishing order, but points were only awarded for the top three finishers in each stage. It was won, like the closely associated points classification, by Cadel Evans
Cadel Evans
Cadel Lee Evans is an Australian professional racing cyclist and winner of the 2011 Tour de France. Early in his career, Evans was a champion mountain biker, winning the World Cup in 1998 and 1999 and placing seventh in the men's cross-country mountain bike race at the 2000 Summer Olympics in...
. Additionally, the Premio della Fuga rewarded riders who took part in a breakaway at the head of the field, each rider in an escape of ten or fewer riders getting one point for each kilometre that the group stayed clear. 's Jérôme Pineau
Jérôme Pineau
Jérôme Pineau is a French professional road bicycle racer. In 2009, he rides on the UCI ProTour for .- Major achievements :20022003-External links:*...
was first in this competition. Teams were given penalty points for minor technical infringements. was most successful in avoiding penalties, and so won the Fair Play classification.
World Rankings points
The Giro was one of 26 events throughout the season that contributed points towards the 2010 UCI World Ranking2010 UCI World Ranking
The 2010 UCI World Ranking was the second edition of the ranking system launched by the International Cycling Union in 2009. The series started with the Tour Down Under's opening stage on 19 January, and consisted of 13 stage races and 13 one-day races, culminating in the Giro di Lombardia on 16...
. Points were awarded to the top 20 finishers overall, and to the top five finishers in each stage.
| Name | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 206 | ||
| 132 | ||
| 128 | ||
| 123 | ||
| 117 | ||
| 85 | ||
| 60 | ||
| 56 | ||
| 54 |
| 42 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 38 | ||
| 38 | ||
| 28 | ||
| 26 | ||
| 25 | ||
| 24 | ||
| 20 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 15 | ||
| 14 | ||
| 14 | ||
| 12 | ||
| 12 | ||
| 12 | ||
| 10 | ||
| 10 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 7 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 1 | ||
| 1 |
| Rank | Prev. | Name | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 384 | |||
| 2 | 304 | |||
| 3 | 288 | |||
| 4 | 232 | |||
| 5 | 216 | |||
| 6 | 206 | |||
| 7 | 203 | |||
| 8 | 200 | |||
| 9 | 185 | |||
| 10 | 167 |
External links
– Updated faster than the English version- cyclingnews.com – Race reports and news features
- velonews.com Giro results, report and photos