Preview of Giro Rosa 2013

Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile 2013 is called Giro Rosa. It is the Italian Cycling Federation’s attempt to make the most important stage race of the women’s cycling calendar more appealing to the sponsors and cycling fans.

Sustainability and support from National Federation (FCI) are the two key words for Mr. Rivolta’s “4Erre A.S.D.”. They were the only association able to win the bid issued by FCI in winter to organize the race after the lack of commitment from other organizers. The race has been facing many difficulties and with the risk of being cancelled FCI have now acquired the rights for the race for the next 4 years.

This year’s Giro Rosa includes 8 stages taking place from 30 June to 7 July. On paper it seems to be a race full of surprises. Mostly because of the absence of strong riders like Pooley, Longo Borghini, Cantele & Ina-Yoko Teutemberg. Still, we have two riders in the race a level or two above the rest; Evelyn Stevens and Marianne Vos. 

To help us take a closer look at the favorites, we have asked former Italian champion and World Champion medalist Noemi Cantele to give us her view on the four jersey’s this year.

Noemi Cantele.

Pink Jersey (Overall)

Cantele: “I think for the fight for pink will be a tough battle between Vos and Stevens. There aren’t many difficult descents in this year’s race where Vos can take time and the uphill stages favor Stevens. It will be a close call”.

Green Jersey (KOM)

Cantele: “Pooley won the green jersey last year but she’s not in race this time. I think Stevens has a better chance than Vos. Still, we must consider the important bonus seconds on the line, which can turn out to be a factor in this competition”.

Blue Jersey (Points)

Cantele: ”This is a jersey for Guderzo to win”.

White Jersey (Youth)

Cantele: ”I think Ratto could end up winning this jersey but there are other young riders with a good chance. We will have to wait and see what happens during the first days”.

Focussing on the 8 stages of this year’s Giro Rosa, we have BePink’s DS and former pro rider himself, Walter Zini to guide you through.

Stage 1 (flat) ★★ 123.80 km.

30/06/2013 Giovinazzo - Margherita di Savoia

Zini: ”It is a typical stage for the sprinters. Many girls will be eager to take first Pink Jersey of the race. Ina Yoko Teutenberg is the best sprinter right now but unfortunately she’s not taking part in this Giro. Therefore I see Bronzini as the best candidate for the stage win”.

Stage 2 (medium mountains) ★★ 99.60 km.

01/07/2013 Pontecagnano Faiano - Pontecagnano Faiano

Zini: ”It’s more or less flat. The rider were under a lot of pressure on the first stage with the Pink Jersey up for grab. This will be less stressful.  I see Chloe Hosking as a very good candidate for the stage win”.

Stage 3 (medium mountains) ★★★ 111 km.

02/07/2013 Cerro al Volturno - Cerro al Volturno

Zini: ”This is a stage for the GC contenders Vos and Stevens. I also think Johansson will be in the mix. This stage is the first fight between the overall favorites for Giro Rosa”.

Stage 4 (flat) ★★ 137.20 km.

03/07/2013 Monte San Vito – Castelfidardo

Zini: ”Today is a good day for a breakaway to make it. Still, we must remember the time bonuses can change the GC in case of a bunch sprint”.

Stage 5 (high mountains) ★★★★★ 73.30 km.

04/07/2013 Varazze - Monte Beigua

Zini: ”Stevens is the best climber and she is also my favorite for this stage. The climb is steep and that favors Stevens more than Vos. Also, the descent is not difficult enough for Vos to attack”.

Stage 6 (medium mountains) ★★★★ 121 km.

05/07/2013 Terme Di Premia - San Domenico

Zini: ”The standings in the general classification will decide today’s winner. If the podium positions can’t be changed much, I think it’s stage for Johansson, Guderzo or Luperini. These girls will be out of the GC and therefore get a green light to attack from a far”.

Walter Zini. DS of the BePink team.

Stage 7 (flat) ★ 120 km.

06/07/2013 Corbetta - Corbetta

Zini: ”It looks like a bunch sprint but it’s not certain it will happen. The girls will be tired after six hard stages so today could be good for a breakaway”.

Stage 8 (time trial) ★★★★ 16 km.

07/07/2013 Cremona - Cremona

Zini: ”My favorite for the time trial is Van Dijk, no doubt. It will also be interesting to see Guderzo and Luperini fighting to be the best Italian rider”.

Looking at the eight stages, Walter Zini makes it clear that his team, BePink, is starting this Giro Rosa without any pressure. However they are still ambitious. “It would be great to win a stage and to be in the Top5 overall with one of my riders but first of all we are here to grow and to learn. It’s a young team and “zero pressure” is the key word for BePink”, he explains.

We will provide daily updates after each stage with special insights and comments from all the protagonists. Stay tuned!

By Alberto Celani & Mikkel Condé

GIRO EXCLUSIVE - Gianni Savio sums up the 1st week of Giro d'Italia

Despite bad luck for José Serpa, team manager
Gianni Savio still smiles and hope for another
stage win in the final two weeks of the Giro.

Just like last year Androni Giocattoli managed to take a stage win early in the Giro d’Italia. Miguel Angel Rubiano won stage 6 after a long breakaway and on stage 9 youngster Fabio Felline took second place after Francisco Ventoso.

Needless to say, team manager - and Giro Expert during the race on this site - Gianni Savio is very satisfied with the first week of the Italian Grand Tour.

“Rubiano’s win was very, very good for us after Serpa broke his finger and also today [stage 9]Felline was able to do good stage and almost got the victory. This has been a good first week I think”, Gianni Savio tells.

Unfortunately José Serpa hasn’t been able to do much good in the uphill sections ever since he broke his finger and that means that he Columbian now needs to get another x-ray in order to determine if he should continue in the race or not. Before the Giro started, Gianni Savio was expecting Serpa to do top10 in the overall classification but after a week of racing it could already be over.

Another rider who hasn’t been quite up there with the big favorites is team leader José Rujano. After 9 stages (yet not any real mountains) Rujano is 34th in the overall classification - 2,39 minutes behind maglia rosa Ryder Hesjedal. Gianni Savio explains:

“I think Rujano has had a normal race so far. He hasn’t been doing so well but he hasn’t been bad either. I think he is rider that will increase his condition during the Giro so we will wait and see what he can do in the last week. That is where you win the Giro”.

Thanks to Miguel Angel Rubiano’s stage win, Androni Giocattoli still has the blue mountain jersey to defend and according to Gianni Savio they won’t let it go cheap.

"This is definitely a goal for us now. We will try to keep this jersey all the way”, he assures.

Giro d’Italia continues Tuesday with stage 10 to Assisi and after being right about almost every single stage so far, you really shouldn’t forget to read Gianni Savio’s preview of the stage right here on C-Cycling later tonight.

Interview - Stefano Allocchio (Sport Manager, RCS)

Stefano Alloccio, Sport Manager at RCS

After knowing about the wild cards for the Giro d’Italia this year, Alberto Celani and I reached out to former Italian sprinter Stefano Allocchio who is now Sport Manager at RCS Sport, the organization in charge of the Giro.

I was hoping to hear more about the decisions behind the wild card invitations and if cycling is now more money and marketing than passion and enthusiasm, but unfortunately Stefano Allocchio didn’t want to elaborate on Michele Acquarone’s blog. 

That means that what could have been the more interesting part on the interview more or less got cancelled, leaving the following as the remaining part of the interview. 

Stefano, leaving the wild card questions and moving on to a sporting view of the Giro d’Italia. What do you expect of the first stages in Denmark? 
I look forward to three important stages in Denmark. I think it could be very similar to the first three stages in Holland two years go. Even the stages characteristics are similar.First a time trial and then two stages which aren’t so easy to interpret. The wind could play an important factor. I expect a lot of people along the roads and real fight for the first Maglia Rosa.

And what do you generally think of this year’s route. Who does it favor?
I think it’s a very beautiful Giro route with good possibilities for any kind of rider. I also think it’s not as easy as many journalist around the world think it is. I see it very similar to the Giro in 2010 won by Ivan Basso. He should be one of the favorite even though it’s early already to speak about this.

Which one of the stages is your own personal favorite? 
Even though I was a sprinter in my own career, I can tell you that without any doubts my favorite Giro stage in 2012 is the one to Stelvio [stage 20, edt.] with Mortirolo and the finish line at 2758 meters above sea level.

Having been a sprinter yourself, what do you think of today’s sprint finishes? Last year we saw less sprints won by a long, strong lead-out train than earlier. Is that's a new trend?
I don’t think it’s a real “trend”. On the contrary, I think every mass sprint is different from the others and also, a good sprinter has to be able to win by himself without help from anybody.

Last year got shadowed by the horrific crash and death of Wouter Weylandt. What has RCS done to improve the safety on the roads in 2012? Are you talking with riders on how to make it better? Like we have seen in Motorsport? 
What happened to Wouter Weylandt has been a tragic fatality and it has nothing to do with race safety measures. RCS Sport has always been at the top on riders safety on its races. Of course we will continue on this path in 2012 and in the coming years to be on top of the athletes safety.

Last question and another topic. Cyclocross and Track Cycling are losing appeal in Italy. Do you think RCS can play a role in the renewal of these disciplines in a country rich in tradition like Italy? Do you think it would be possible with a Cyclocross event at Parco Sempione or a track event at Vigorelli to save this monument of cycling?
I perfectly understand what you are talking about, since I has been a track rider too, but I have to admit that time wait for nobody and maybe these disciplines are in the past of a rich tradition country as Italy too. I don’t think it will be possible to renewal these disciplines. Unfortunately.

On a side not Stefano Allocchio also put an end to the rumors that the epic finale on Montelupone will return in this year’s Tirreno-Adriatico. Something that Purito, among others, had hoped it would. “It will return in the future though”, Allocchio assures.