2010 Giro d'Italia Starts Tomorrow with TT, Stage 1

The press conferences, and the official presentation, in Amsterdam are finished. Finally, the Giro start is tomorrow.

The 93rd edition of the race will commence with an 8.4 km individual time trial from the city's museum square (Museumplein) to the stadium square, outside the 1928 Olympic Stadium. Weather may complicate the final standings with rain and 9 C temperature predicted. Average speed is expected to be in the 50-55 km/h range for riders "with courage and precise riding".

Milram's Matthius Russ is scheduled to kick-off the time trial at 13:55 CET on Saturday, however, the German will be preceded by 19 year-old Jasper Ockeloen of the Rabobank Continental squad. The Dutch youngster has been given the honour of being the first to cut through what is bound to be a corridor of noise. André Greipel (HTC-Columbia) will be the last man to roll of the start ramp, at 17:34 CET. Start times for podium contenders: Basso (17.12), Evans (17.14), Garzelli (17.24), and Sastre (17.28).

The oddsmakers favor Bradley Wiggins (at 4,50) followed by David Millar (5) who recently won two similar TTs. At 7 to 1 odds are Alexandre Vinokourov who won the prologue at the Giro del Trentino, and Italian national TT champion Marco Pinotti.

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