The centenary edition of the Italian Grand Tour, the Giro D’Italia is set to be a thriller with a huge list of all stars set to line up on the 9th of May to contest the Maglia Rosa. It is also set to be one of the most controversial races in years with the same all stars, many of whom are under the heavy cloud of doping.  Chief among these has to be the return of Ivan Basso.  The 2006 Giro winner has just completed a two year ban for doping and has stated that the Giro is one of his main aims with his Liquigas team for next year.

The route includes many interesting stages including an opening team timetrial along the Lido in Venice (the spit of land that connects the city to the mainland.  With just 5 turns on the whole course it will be an exercise in discipline and team strength which has already been targeted by some teams particularly Garmin-Chipotle, the American based squad which features many timetrial specialists.  Speaking at the launch the Team Manager Jonathan Vaughters said that the team were focusing on the time trials but might bring an all rounder such as Irishman Daniel Martin to try to contend for the overall.  Undoubtedly the (light) blue train of Astana will be targeting this one too as a serious opportunity for Armstrong to pull on the leaders jersey but its likely that the likes of Basso, Di Luca and Bennati will wait for th mountains.

They won’t have to wait long either as the route heads into the mountains for summit finishes on day 4 and 5.  Mountains are very prominent in the Giro with stages 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 19 all featuring famous climbs.  The last mountain stage is a tough climb up Vesuvius that is sure to separate the last remaining contenders.

The winner will also need to be a strong timetrialer too with plenty of clock chasing involved.  Of particular interest is the long 61.7 timetrial mid race on day 12 (the 21st of May) which is twice the length of the previous editions time trial.  This seems like a stage tailor made for Armstrong or one of the strong Garmin-Chipotle boys.  Indeed many riders were quietly claiming that it was put in for the Texan’s benefit.  The final day is also a timetrial, this time on the streets of Rome and should see some great action with the potential for a showdown on the streets of the Italian capitol, in the shadow of the likes of the Coliseum.

American superstar Lance Armstrong will attempt to win the Giro for the first time in his career (although he has tipped Basso to win) and will most likely lead the Astana team with last years winner Alberto Contador making the Tour de France his main aim.  Returning from retirement the American had the following to say about the route for the 100th Giro.

“I am very excited to come to Italy to participate in my first Giro and I look forward to a good result. I began my professional career living near Lake Como, but I never competed in the Giro. So, this is a special year for many reasons. Obviously, there is the hundred year anniversary of the race, but it’s also a special route from Venice to Rome. There will be a lot of dynamics in an exciting first week with the Alps in the 4th and 5th stages. The weather may be bad, which will play an important factor in the race. The second week is highlighted by the long time trial of 62 kilometers. As a professional I’ve never done such a long time trial. So, this will be a crucial day in the Giro. The last week has some tricky stages. The stage to the Vesuvio will be a real test for all of us, but there is also that short mountain stage. You never know what will happen there. Some people are better in long stages, others are better in short stages. Finally, there is the finish in magical Rome. Rome is a city that I never experienced until last year, when I visited the city as a tourist. I fell immediately in love with Rome.”

Cadel Evans has denied rumours that he will be attending including a strange outburst against the organisers accusing them of using his name to drum up interest in the event.  The Australian is focusing once again on the Tour de France, looking for the elusive win after 2 second place finishes.  Other contenders who will be attending include Gilberto Simoni (who claims to have buried the hatchet with Armstrong), Denis Menchov and 2008 Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre.