Giro d’Italia officials have unveiled a route for next year’s race that features three time trials along with the usual array of difficult mountain stages, as organizers hope to attract top riders Alberto Contador and Bradley Wiggins.
The race begins in Naples on May 4 and ends in Brescia on May 26.
Stage two is a 17.4km team time trial on the island of Ischia, off Naples. Stage eight is a 55.5km individual time trial from Gabicce Mare to Saltara, while stage 18 is a 19.4km mountain time trial.
There are seven uphill finishes and the three stages before the flat ending in Brescia are key. After the mountain time trial, stage 19 goes over the Gavia and Stelvio passes before ending with an uphill finish at Val Martello, and stage 20 features five climbs, including the finish at Tre Cime de Lavaredo.
Contador won the Giro in 2008 and last year, but was stripped of last year’s victory for doping at the Tour de France the year before.
“It’s a balanced route, with the novelty of a long, flat time trial,” said Contador, who attended the presentation.
Canada’s Ryder Hesjedal of the Garmin team won this year’s Giro by 16 seconds ahead of Spanish rider Joaquin Rodriguez, who captured Saturday’s Giro di Lombardia to clinch No. 1 in the year-end UCI rankings.
Vincenzo Nibali, the Italian who finished second in the last year’s Giro and third in this year’s Tour — after winning the Spanish Vuelta in 2010 — is also expected to be a top contender.
The 2013 Giro opens with a flat 156km stage in Naples. After the team time trial and a few mildly hilly legs, the tough stage nine ends in Florence and is dedicated to legendary Florentine rider Gino Bartali, followed by the first rest day.
Stage 12 begins in Longarone, 50 years after a landslide destroyed the town by breaking a dam and causing some 2,000 deaths.
The serious mountains begin with stage 14 ending in Bardonecchia, then the race passes into France the next day and climbs the renowned Telegraphe and Galibier mountains, where Marco Pantani set up his 1998 Tour de France win with an attack on Jan Ullrich.
The second rest day comes after stage 15.
The race ends with a flat stage to Brescia, which was selected as the finish host instead of the normal ending in Milan. Including the final stage, there are seven sprinting legs, appealing to the likes of Mark Cavendish, who was also at the presentation and gave his approval.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and