The Giro d’Italia which has started from Albania before
crossing the sea to the toe of Italy has attracted a lot of new firepower to
the sport, as world leaders decide to stop killing each other and settle political
differences instead with a war on two wheels, in the first Grand Tour of the
year.
The decision honours the 80th anniversary of VE day on May 8, celebrating the end of Second World War in the vain hope there will not
be a third set off by the latest conflict between India and Pakistan.
So although there is no Pogacar, the world’s greatest
cyclist of the decade and winner of the great treble last year, the Giro-Tour double and World road title,
there are several other names to contend with.
The line-up boasts Israel’s PM Netanyahu, Russian president
Putin, Ukraine’s leader Zelensky, and rocking up to Make America Great Again – or poor - President Trump. Plus the UK’s PM Starmer, and the leader of
that right wing nonsense party I refuse to mention, trouble maker and loud
mouth Farage.
So what can we expect in the Giro?
They were perhaps too full of confidence before the start of
stage one in Durres.
Netanyahu was as bullish as ever, warning that should other
teams attack his squad will launch a counter offensive and slay ‘em.
Putin aims to play the long game, saying his forces will
simply steam roller the opposition,
just as they have attempted to do in Zelensky’s Ukraine
since the Russian invasion three years ago. Zelensky says that if Putin over stretches
himself he could get dropped and finish in the sag wagon.
As for Trump the idea he might sign the new Pope, Leo X1V, a
North American, to his Giro team, was dropped when he learned Leo sought
harmony in the world as distinct from sowing chaos and confusion.
So Trump and his wingman JD Lance aim will aim to bully other
teams to submit to them. As the race goes north through Italy, Trump will be
keeping an eye open for sites to build golf courses and hotels.
Farage meanwhile will be skulking at the back of the field, keeping
a low profile until popping up with great noise and fanfare, cheering on Trump
and shouting insults at Starmer.
As for Starmer he will not be going for the overall. He is
pinning his hopes on persuading other teams to make peace with Trump, to slow the
pace to allow him to pick up a few primes and maybe a stage win in the Dolomites.
And so did any of these big talkers deliver on that opening
stage. Only tough nut Zelensky showed his staying power by finishing in the
third group of the road. The rest were all dropped and were on the plane home
that evening, after finishing outside of the time limit. The stage was won by
real bike rider, Denmark’s Mads Pedersen with a terrific sprint to take his
first Grand Tour leaders jersey.
Forza.
