In mid-December Michele Scarponi, now with Lampre-ISD, started his 2011 Giro d'Italia preparations with a reconnaissance of the 9th stage from Messina to Etna, concluding with a finish at the top of the volcano.
This week Scarponi, and team mate, Marco Marzano undertook a reconnaissance of Stage 19, riding the last 115km of the 211 km stage from Bergamo-Macugnaga. The two riders
paid close attention to the two climbs that will characterize the course: the Mottarone and the final climb to Macugnaga.
Scarponi's observations after the reconnaissance, "First of all, it's necessary to consider that the stage will be scheduled in the final part of Giro d'Italia when all the riders will be low on energy and the top classification riders will be willing to try their last chances for the pink jersey. I think that it will be a tough stage, it will be important to manage one energies in order to cover in the best way the 3000 meters of difference in altitude. Mottarone is a climb for pure climbers and the Macugnaga one is very long, more or less 28 km, and complicated because it requires many changes of pace."
Photo: Michele Scarponi
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