On the day when the Giro, with the stage in Vajont, recalls the terrible tragedy of 50 years ago that swept away Longarone and almost two thousand lives, the case of Sylvain Georges, the French rider of Ag2R tested positive for a prohibited stimulant, reminds the cycling – who tried to forget it – that doping is a scourge that resists beyond the Armstrong case and the Spanish trial of Emiliano Fuentes, the doctor of Operacion Puerto.
They will be the dross of a long season in which the "no dope, no hope" was the general conviction in the group and in the environment, but the communiqué of the International Cycling Union relating to a check carried out in the seventh stage has awakened old ghosts, shattering that virginity that the Giro hoped to regain also thanks to the help of its main protagonists, all riders from Nibali to Cadel Evans, from Wiggins and Hesjedal, never ended up in the anti-doping network and who indeed have publicly denounced – this is the case in particular by Sir Bradley – as bogus too many past Tour winners, before the Armstrong scandal even broke.
Exemplary also the choice of Hesjedal in saying no to chemical help when the Canadian severed his relationship with Phonak, Tyler Hamilton's team, where Epo was at home. Georges' departure from the Giro, if it recalls the bad back-stage of cycling, does not disturb the classification of the pink race given that the Frenchman occupied 81st place over an hour behind the pink jersey Nibali.
Even the order of arrival of the eleventh stage has left the general classification unchanged. The Lithuanian Ramunas Navardauskas won by detachment, already leapt to the chronicles of last year's Giro having worn the pink jersey after the team time trial in Verona: for Garmin Sharp, which in recent days has suffered the debacle of its captain Hesjedal, Yesterday was finally a day of revenge with the victory in the Giro doubled (in the evening due to the time zone) by that of Tyler Farrar in the fourth stage of the Amgen California Tour.
The Giro al Vajont allowed itself a stage of respite among the big names, postponing the task of giving new shocks to the top hierarchies of the Giro to those of the weekend with the arrival on Saturday at the Jafferau and on Sunday on the legendary Galibier. Stages for giants, who possibly don't suffer from the cold since the weather forecast even predicts sub-zero temperatures at the summit. A climate that accompanies this year's Giro diametrically opposed to that which is setting fire to California where the most important American stage race is being held which sees champions of the caliber of Peter Sagan (winner of the third stage in Santa Clarita ), Andy Schleck and world champion Philippe Gilbert.
Here, runners often seek refuge from the cold and rain – and it will almost be winter in the Alps! -, over there in the States one is instead forced to stock up on enormous quantities of ice, which is slipped under the shirt and inside the shorts, to "cool" the cyclists to the point of asphyxiation and collapse due to the heat close to 45°, so marked the thermometer upon arrival in the barren and sunny mountains of Palm Springs.
Returning to the Giro, Jafferau and Galibier will be a probative test for the forces in the field that are competing for the final victory. So far there is no doubt that Nibali is the deserved leader, the number one candidate for success, but in recent days his team has appeared less authoritarian, the fault of some ailments from Agnoli and the obvious fatigue of Kangert (who is perhaps squeezed too much in the Saltara time trial where he finished third). Behind the Shark is a Cadel Evans, with a 41” gap who up to now has competed in a Giro without ever losing the wheels of the front runners (the gap from Nibali only depends on the bonuses and the two time trials).
But more than Evans, the current pink jersey will have to beware of the attack that Sky will bring, which continues to point to Wiggins as its standard bearer but is preparing to play Uran's card big Uran who, in the ascent to the Montasio plateau, has reiterated what was already known: the Colombian is a born climber, a rarity in this Giro. And as such, given the many mountains that await the tadpoles, the idea that Uran becomes the captain of the Sky, exchanging roles with Wiggins ready to wear the role of exceptional lieutenant, is increasingly taking shape.
To decide which strategy to adopt, at Sky they have 48 hours available, the time taken up by the next two stages which are an interlude for sprinters: in particular for Mark Cavendish, who, after John Degenkolb's retirement, could even dream of a consecutive double.
