Contador Claims Giro Victory
Team Astana Cyclist Alberto Contador Wins 2008 Giro D'Italia
Spanish rider takes the final Pink Jersey in Milan to claim a famous victory in the 2008 edition of the Giro D'Italia.
Alberto Contador of Team Astana has won the the 91st edition of the Giro D'Italia. The Spanish rider won by one minute 57 seconds over Italian Riccardo Ricco to take the top step of the podium in Milan.
Time Trial Test
Going into the final day, a 23.5 kilometre time trial from Cesano Maderno to Milan, after 20 stages and over 3,300 kilometres of racing, Contador held a slender lead of just four seconds over second place Ricco.
The time trial was won by Marco Pinotti of Team High Road in 32 minutes 45 seconds, capping an impressive Giro for the team who managed a total of four victories.
However all eyes were on the final rider Contador who lived up to expectations by riding a good time trial, taking 11th place in a time of 33 minutes 24 seconds and, more importantly, beating Ricco by nearly two minutes to take the overall victory.
Surprise Spanish Success Ends Italian Run
The Italians have dominated their Giro in recent times and Contador's victory is the first by a non Italian rider since 1996 when Russian Pavel Tonkov took the pink jersey.
Contador now joins the Spanish cycling legend and five time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain as Spain's only Giro champions, Indurain having won both the 1992 and 1993 editions of the race.
Contador's victory is all the more remarkable because Team Astana only knew that they were going to the race around a week before the start . Race organisers RCS Sport opting to invite the team at short notice despite previously denying them a starting spot.
The team had little time to prepare and Contador's training programme had been detailed around other objectives. To take top spot in arguably the toughest race of the year is truly astonishing, despite the fact that his form was not quite good enough to take a stage victory.
Second Grand Tour Win
The 2008 Giro is the second grand tour crown for the 25 year old Spaniard who is also the reigning Tour de France champion. Contador will be unable to defend his Tour de France title however as ASO, the Tour organisers, have not invited Team Astana to this year's race and it is unlikely that they will perform a similar U-Turn as RCS Sport.
At the presentation in Milan, Contador said "In ten months, I won the Tour and then the Giro. That’s impressive. I had a lot of rivals, all of them strong. This is why it’s an honour to wear the pink jersey, just like it was for Indurain in the past. For me, this win at the Giro has the same value as winning the Tour again".
Contador will therefore have to be content with his Giro win. Maybe his thoughts will now turn to attempting a third grand tour victory in his own Tour of Spain in Sepember. To win three grand tours in the space of 14 months would rank as a fantastic achievement.
Final Podium
1st CONTADOR, Alberto (SPA) 89:56:49
2nd RICCO,Riccardo (ITA) @ 1:57
3rd BRUSEGHIN ,Marzio (ITA) @ 2:54
Sources
Contador wins Giro D'Italia, Pinnoti takes final stage, PR-inside.com,1st June 2008 (AP)
Contador's Revenge, Antonino Morici,Gazzetta Dello Sport, 1st June 2008,
Giro D'Italia 2008, Steephill, 3rd June 2008.
