Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Giro_d%27Italia

http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/en/index.shtml?lang=en

http://www.wiziwig.tv/competition.php?part=sports&discipline=cycling

http://www.sportlemon.tv/c-10.html

REALLY looking forward to it. Allez Wiggo.

Sat, 4 May - stage 1: Naples-Naples (130km).

Stage Guide
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/22249563

Map
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/it/tappa.shtml?t=01&lang=en

Profile
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/it/tappa.shtml?t=01&lang=en

The Sportlemon link above is incorrect.

It should be
http://www.sportlemon.tv/c-9.html

Cav had to work hard for that. A crash split things in last three 3k, and he had to close a big gap and come wide out from 4th to nick it on the line.

Excellent performance there by Cav and a very exciting finish.

Looking forward to see Nibali vs Wiggins this year. Nibali talked a good game last year, and put in some impressive climbs on the TDF. The downhill finishes really punished him last year.

Stage 1 Results
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/may/04/giro-d-italia-2013-stage-one-results

Classifications (top 3 only)

Points Classification
1 Cavendish (OPQ) 28
2 Viviani (CAN) 20
3 Bouhanni (FDJ) 16

Mountain Classification
1 Visconti (MOV) 3
2 Wurf (CAN) 3
3 Bonnafond (ALM) 3

Youth Classification
1 Viviani (CAN) 2:58:26
2 Bouhanni (FDJ) +4
3 Nizzolo (RLT) +12

Team Classification
1 Orica 8:55:54
2 BMC Racing +0
3 Garmin +0

Sprint Classification
1 Wurf (CAN) 8
2 Hondo (RLT) 6
3 Marcato (VCD) 4

Combativity Classification
1 Cavendish (OPQ) 8
2 Wurf (CAN) 5
3 Viviani (CAN) 5

Sun, 5 May - stage 2: Ischia-Forio (17.4km) Team time trial
One for Wiggins I think.

Map
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/it/tappa.shtml?t=02&lang=en

Profile
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/it/tappa.shtml?t=02&lang=en

Unfortunately, I will not be watching this stage. The Merseyside derby beckons.

I'll be watching this one today. The distance is almost perfect for Wiggins. There is also a hilly TT this year which will limit Nibali's losses. I need to read up more on the profile of each stage, when I get the chance.

Stage Results
1 Team Sky 22:05
2 Movistar 9
3 Astana 14
4 Katyusha 19
5 Vini Fantini 22
6 Lampre 22
7 Garmin 25
8 Blanco 28
9 Orica 28
10 Vacansoleil 34
11 Cannondale 35
12 BMC Racing 37
13 Bardiani Valvole 41
14 RadioShack 43
15 Saxo - Tinkoff 43
16 Androni Giocattoli 46
17 Omega Pharma - Quick-Step 48
18 AG2R 50
19 FDJ 55
20 Colombia 56
21 Lotto +1:00
22 Euskaltel +1:01
23 Argos +1:13


General Classification
1 Puccio (SKY) 3:20:43
2 Wiggins (SKY) 0
3 Ser. Henao (SKY) 0
4 Cataldo (SKY) 0
5 R. Urán (SKY) 0

Stage 2 Results
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/may/05/giro-d-italia-2013-stage-two-results

Classifications (top 3 only)

Stage results
1 Team Sky 22:05
2 Movistar 9
3 Astana 14

General classification
1 Puccio (SKY) 3:20:43
2 Wiggins (SKY) 0
3 Ser. Henao (SKY) 0

Points classification
1 Cavendish (OPQ) 28
2 Viviani (CAN) 20
3 Bouhanni (FDJ) 16

Mountain classification
1 Gio. Visconti (MOV) 3
2 Wurf (CAN) 3
3 Bonnafond (ALM) 3

Youth classification
1 Puccio (SKY) 3:20:43
2 Dowsett (MOV) 9
3 Aru (AST) 14

Team classification
1 Team Sky 9:17:59
2 Movistar 9
3 Astana 14

Sprint classification
1 Wurf (CAN) 8
2 Hondo (RLT) 6
3 Marcato (VCD) 4

Combativity classification
1 Cavendish (OPQ) 8
2 Wurf (CAN) 5
3 Viviani (CAN) 5

Mon, 6 May - stage 3: Sorrento-Marina di Ascea (222km)

Stage type: Medium Mountain

Look out for: Australia's Matt Goss.

Map and Profile
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/it/tappa.shtml?t=03&lang=en

TV British Eurosport 1.15pm
Radio 5 extra 3.00pm

Nice work. Shame more people don't seem so interested. I'm fo,lowing it all the way!

A few tasty crashes on the descent today. Was a decent stage and a few nice attacks from Hesjedal

Stage 3 Results
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/may/06/giro-d-italia-2013-stage-three-results

Classifications (top 3 only)

Stage results
1 Paolini (KAT) 5:43:50
2 Evans (BMC) 16
3 Hesjedal (GRS) 16

General classification
1 Paolini (KAT) 9:04:32
2 Wiggins (SKY) 17
3 R. Urán (SKY) 17

Points classification
1 Paolini (KAT) 29
2 Cavendish (OPQ) 28
3 Evans (BMC) 20

Mountain classification
1 Wauters (VCD) 9
2 Gio. Visconti (MOV) 8
3 Boaro (TST) 5

Youth classification
1 Aru (AST) 9:05:37
2 Majka (TST) 29
3 C. Betancur (ALM) 36

Team classification
1 Katyusha 26:30:20
2 Team Sky 17
3 Astana 45

Sprint classification
1 Wurf (CAN) 26:30:20
2 De Backer (ARG) 17
3 Wauters (VCD) 45

Combativity classification
1 Wauters (VCD) 10
2 Boaro (TST) 9
3 Cavendish (OPQ) 8

Tue, 7 May - stage 4: Policastro-Serra San Bruno (246km)

Stage type: Medium Mountain

Map and Profile
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/it/tappa.shtml?t=04&lang=en

Stage 4 Results
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/may/07/giro-d-italia-2013-stage-four-results

Classifications (top 3 only)

Stage results
1 Battaglin (BAR) 06:14:19
2 Felline (AND) 00:00:00
3 Gio. Visconti (MOV) 00:00:00

General classification
1 Paolini (KAT) 15:18:51
2 R. Urán (SKY) 17
3 Intxausti (MOV) 26

Points classification
1 Paolini (KAT) 35
2 Evans (BMC) 30
3 Cavendish (OPQ) 28

Mountain classification
1 Gio. Visconti (MOV) 13
2 Wauters (VCD) 9
3 Chalapud (COL) 9

Youth classification
1 Aru (AST) 15:20:06
2 Majka (TST) 19
3 C. Betancur (ALM) 26

Team classification
1 Katyusha 21:13:27
2 Team Sky 24
3 Astana 45

Sprint classification
1 Marcato (VCD) 9
2 Wurf (CAN) 8
3 Wauters (VCD) 7

Combativity classification
1 Wauters (VCD) 10
2 Boaro (TST) 9
3 Cavendish (OPQ) 8

Other selected riders GC position

Nibali (AST) 4
Hesjedal (GRS) 5
Wiggins (SKY) 6
Evans (BMC) 10
Gesink (BLA) 12
Gio. Visconti (MOV) 14
S. Sánchez (EUS) 19
Scarponi (LAM) 21
Pozzovivo (ALM) 28
Breschel (TST) 101
Viviani (CAN) 117
Cavendish (OPQ) 118
Degenkolb (ARG) 131
Goss (OGE) 155
Phinney (BMC) 156
Gatto (VIN) 172

Other selected riders Name GC Time
Nibali (AST) 4 31
Hesjedal (GRS) 5 34
Wiggins (SKY) 6 34
Evans (BMC) 10 42
Gesink (BLA) 12 45
Gio. Visconti (MOV) 14 52
S. Sánchez (EUS) 19 +1:18
Scarponi (LAM) 21 +1:23
Pozzovivo (ALM) 28 +1:41
Breschel (TST) 101 +21:02
Viviani (CAN) 117 +25:44
Cavendish (OPQ) 118 +25:49
Degenkolb (ARG) 131 +26:34
Goss (OGE) 155 +31:39
Phinney (BMC) 156 +31:48
Gatto (VIN) 172 +32:56

Wed, 8 May - stage 5: Cosenza-Matera (203km)

Stage type: Flat

Map and Profile
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/it/tappa.shtml?t=05&lang=en

Look out for: Denmark's Matti Breschel

Stage 5 Results
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/may/08/giro-d-italia-2013-stage-five-results

Classifications (top 3 only)

Stage results
1 Degenkolb (ARG) 04:37:48
2 Vicioso (KAT) 00:00:00
3 Martens (BLA) 00:00:00

General classification
1 Paolini (KAT) 19:56:39
2 R. Urán (SKY) 17
3 Intxausti (MOV) 26

Points classification
1 Paolini (KAT) 35
2 Degenkolb (ARG) 30
3 Evans (BMC) 30

Mountain classification
1 Gio. Visconti (MOV) 14
2 S. Pirazzi (BAR) 11
3 Chalapud (COL) 9

Youth classification
1 Aru (AST) 19:57:54
2 Majka (TST) 19
3 C. Betancur (ALM) 26

Team classification
1 Katyusha 11:06:51
2 Team Sky 24
3 Astana 45

Sprint classification
1 Andriato (VIN) 10
2 Marcato (VCD) 9
3 Wurf (CAN) 8

Combativity classification
1 Andriato (VIN) 10
2 Wauters (VCD) 10
3 Boaro (TST) 9

Other selected riders
GC Name Time
4 Nibali (AST) 31
5 Hesjedal (GRS) 34
6 Wiggins (SKY) 34
10 Evans (BMC) 42
12 Gesink (BLA) 45
14 Gio. Visconti (MOV) 52
19 S. Sánchez (EUS) +1:18
21 Scarponi (LAM) +1:23
28 Pozzovivo (ALM) +1:41
99 Viviani (CAN) +25:44
103 Degenkolb (ARG) +26:14
126 Breschel (TST) +30:51
129 Goss (OGE) +31:39
137 Cavendish (OPQ) +32:26
141 Gatto (VIN) +32:56
165 Phinney (BMC) +41:37

I am really looking forward to seeing Colombia-Coldeportes tearing it up in the mountains. They have a very underrated, young and mercurially talented team, great climbers to a man.

Aside from that I'm hoping Nibali (my favourite rider :D) and Evans can do well. I'm not a fan of Wiggins, so really as long as anybody other than him take out the GC I'll be pretty happy.

I love it in the mountains. The fans running alongside the riders and asking for their autographs cracks me up.

Thu, 9 May - stage 6: Mola di Bari-Margherita di Savoia (169km)

Stage type: Flat

Map and Profile
http://www.gazzetta.it/Speciali/Giroditalia/2013/it/tappa.shtml?t=06&lang=en

Look out for: Britain's Mark Cavendish

Mark Cavendish wins stage six of the Giro d'Italia.

Mark Cavendish, who took his 12th Giro stage victory, dedicates his stage six win to Wouter Weylandt who died in a crash on stage three of the Giro two years ago.