It seems a disservice to start the Women’s Giro right before the Tour de France. Even at Velominati’s main bunker HQ, the new TdF VSP sponsorship excitement has overshadowed this race. But at least it is starting (the race and the VSP), nine stages, a time trial, some sprinting, some climbing and some serious transfers. The race starts in Napoli, the next day Roma, the next day Toscana, you get the idea. It could have started in Denmark so this is better, transfer-wise. Women racing through Italy, what’s not to like?
Judith Arndt (Orica-AIS) appears to be a juggernaut of pain dispensing femininity. She gets to wear her national champion kit for both the road races and the time trial. Evelyn Stevens (Specialized-Lululemon) has been training with the big boys in Boulder, Colorado. Marianne Vos (Rabobank) is back, healed and ready to defend. She might be just off her form enough to make this all very interesting. This Giro seems like ideal preparation for the Olympic road race and there is no good reason not to go full gas. There is plenty of time to recover, unlike the TdF, so the women can hold nothing back here and be ready to rock in London.
The start list here, time is short so make your picks right now. This race starts on Friday. Daily coverage will be available via raisports for those who either need even more cycling in their daily lives or who find men in lycra riding around France and Belgium distasteful.
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I was briefly second - if I hadn't been trapped at Nedfest yesterday and had known this I'd have been the happiest man in the universe after @gaswepass. Unfortunately I wasn't and was possibly the most miserable man in the universe.
Aack! What happened to arndt? I knew my premature(unwittingly so, of course) acceptance speech was so lacking that it musta caused this calamity. Dammit. Woulda been victory #2. Gotta bring it with the gloat next time! Whats the online equivalent of a wheelie cross the finish line?
@frank As lame as it sounds, that is the most exciting part of my day. Unless you count trying to teach my 6-year-old about the gears on her new bike and blowing her mind while scaring the hell out of her. She ended up riding her old bike, happier to complain about hitting her knees on the handlebars than figure out how to ride a bike with hand brakes, gears, and that is a little too big for her.
@gaswepass
An emoticon.
@Erik
Show her some of the videos over here and she'll be on that thing in no time.
@frank