RadioShack Added to Giro di Lombardia

“RCS Sport has been given the green light from the Presidents of the UCI and CUPT – Pat McQuaid and Vittorio Adorni, respectively – to bring to 26 the number of teams participating in the race on October 16th,” read a statement from the organizers. And, thus RadioShack has been added to the original list of invited teams and has said it will participate.

The original list included 25 teams which would be composed of 8 riders each. The UCI permission to include RadioShack as the 26th team requires that the overall number of riders still does not exceed 200.

That requirement would force some teams to start with a smaller team which strikes me as a significant disadvantage. How would a requirement such as this be applied fairly? Opinions?

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are very welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,500 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog and there is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.

2010 Giro di Lombardia: Invited Teams

The Giro di Lombardia professional race, one of the five "monuments" of the one day classics, will take place on October 16th. It is also known as the "Race of the Falling Leaves" ("classica delle foglie morte") as it is normally held in October. Originally called the Milano-Milano when it was first held in 1905, it became the Giro di Lombardia in 1907.

Twenty five team, composed of 8 riders, were invited teams to this year's race:
AG2R LA MONDIALE (FRA)
ASTANA (KAZ)
CAISSE D’EPARGNE (SPA)
EUSKALTEL – EUSKADI (SPA)
FRANCAISE DES JEUX (FRA)
GARMIN – TRANSITIONS (USA)
LAMPRE – VINI FARNESE (ITA)
LIQUIGAS – DOIMO (ITA)
OMEGA PHARMA – LOTTO (BEL)
QUICK STEP (BEL)
RABOBANK (OLA)
SKY PROFESSIONAL CYCLING TEAM (GBR)
TEAM HTC COLUMBIA (USA)
TEAM KATUSHA (RUS)
TEAM MILRAM (GER)
TEAM SAXO BANK (DAN)
ACQUA E SAPONE – D’ANGELO & ANTENUCCI (ITA)
ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SERRAMENTI PVC DIQUIGIOVANNI (ITA)
BBOX BOUYGUES TELECOM (FRA)
BMC RACING TEAM (USA)
CARMIOORO NGC (GBR)
CERVELO TEST TEAM (SVI)
COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE (FRA)
COLNAGO – CSF INOX (IRL)
ISD – NERI (ITA)

Radio Shack and Footon-Servetto were the only ProTour teams not invited; Radio Shack had opted to race in the Tour of California rather than the Giro d'Italia in May and are still paying the price. There is still no love for Riccardo Ricco, his Vacansoleil team was also not invited.

Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, etc. are very welcome. Contact me at veronaman@gmail.com. There are more than 1,500 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog and there is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.

2009 Giro di Lombardia

The Giro di Lombardia, also known as the "Race of the Falling Leaves", which concludes the pro-racing calendar in Italy was won by Belgian one-day specialist Philippe Gilbert. Damiano Cunego could not obtain his 4th victory in the race (his third in a row). Gilbert, arriving with Samuel Sanchez at the finish, was just too strong in the dual sprint. Russian rider Alexandr Kolobnev won the sprint behind for third place seven seconds later while Cunego finished 14th.


World Champion Cadel Evans worked hard for Gilbert on the final climb of the day, the San Fermo della Battaglia, which set-up Gilbert for his victory. On the other hand, Cunego failed for what he believes was lack of team Lampre support. "I need someone there to help me, I practically did it all on my own," Italy's Cunego told La Gazzetta dello Sport.


Photos: the peloton with Cadel Evans passes the Ghisallo chapel, the route takes riders along Lake Como, Gilbert attacks on San Fermo della Battaglia (Bettini photos); Gilbert wins the dual sprint (photo by Sirotti)


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Cancelled: Granfondo Giro di Lombardia, 18 October

Several readers have asked about the status of the Granfondo Giro di Lombardia on October 18th.

I inquired with the organizer, RCSSPORT, and they have replied that the event has been cancelled.

The official reply:

"La Gran Fondo Giro di Lombardia è stata annullata per “problemi legati alla sicurezza del percorso”. La zona di Como dove - come negli anni passati - la prova avrebbe dovuto svolgersi, ha problemi connessi al traffico domenicale, soprattutto in ottobre, problemi che impediscono la chiusura delle strade durante la gara."

Translation: "The granfondo has been cancelled for “problems related to the security of the course." The Como zone, where in past the gran fondo would take place, has problems with Sunday traffic, above all in October. These problems prevent the closing of the roads during the gran fondo."

I've included the course map (click on image to enlarge) from 2008 should anyone want to recreate the route themselves. The blue is "corto" course and the red is the "lungo".

Photos: the 2008 course map, Lake Como

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail

Giro di Lombardia

Yesterday we mentioned the Gran Fondo Giro di Lombardia on October 18th. The Giro di Lombardia pro race, one of the five "monuments" of the one day classics, will take place on the previous day, October 17th. A nice weekend: visit the Madonna del Ghisallo and museum on the 16th, watch the pros race on the 17th, race in the gran fondo on the 18th (ed. note: the granfondo has been cancelled) and stop by and visit George on Lake Como on the 19th.

The Giro di Lombardia is also known as the "Race of the Falling Leaves" as it is normally held in October. Originally called the Milano-Milano when it was first held in 1905, it became the Giro di Lombardia in 1907. This year will be the 103rd edition of the race.

The race travels towards Como after leaving Varese. It passes through Como and heads up the western shores of the lake for the first climb – Intelvi. The next obstacle comes on the eastern shores of Lago di Como with the climb out Bellano and into Valsassina. The race kicks into top gear with the descent into Lecco and the snake-like path back along the lake towards Bellagio. The riders leave the homes of the rich and famous and climb towards the cyclists' sanctuary – the Madonna del Ghisallo. It tops out with 44.3 kilometres remaining. There are two final smaller climbs on the roads back to Como– Civiglio at 15.7 kilometres to go and San Fermo della Battaglia at 5.7 kilometres – before the finish on Como's Lungo Lario Trento for a total of 242 Kms.

Photo: event poster; the Gran Fondo Giro di Lombarida passing the Madonna del Ghisallo on the same roads the pros race the day before

The Madonna del Ghisallo and museum is a "must" visit. Search in this journal for "Madonna" and you'll find several stories with many photos.

Stories, including cycling trip stories, for the Italian Cycling Journal welcome; contact veronaman@gmail