Men's Journal

Photo courtesy of the 2009 Giro d'Italia

The Giro d’Italia has long been regarded as the less prestigious stepbrother of the Tour de France. This year is different. Here are five reasons the 100-year-old Giro takes Europe’s, er, pink jersey. (Yes, food is one of them.)

By Jason Gay

1. It’s Insanely Hard
“Most of our guys claim the Giro is more difficult than the Tour,” says Jonathan Vaughters, the director sportif of the Garmin–Slipstream team, which last year became the first U.S. squad in 20 years to wear the maglia rosa pink jersey for a stage victory. Why is it so tough? Organizers love to pick routes that are great for fans — but grueling for riders. Last year there was a comically steep uphill time trial over dirt roads that some racers complained was too much. This year there’s a 61.7-kilometer time trial reportedly designed to lure Lance Armstrong, plus a climb up Mount Vesuvius, the still-active volcano that buried Pompeii.

2. Fans Get Close
Try to get a rider’s autograph at the Tour de France, and you might get dragged off by the Police Nationale. The Giro, by comparison, is a mellower affair. “Our guests can get closer to the pros,” says Greg Hogan of Breaking Away tours (breakingaway.com), which organizes vacation rides of the Giro and other classic races. He adds that you can even ride the Giro route up until 20 minutes before the pros arrive, and that he has seen amateur guests ride between racers on the time trial route. Yikes.

3. It’s Got Flair
France gets all the hype, but Italian cycling fans (the tifosi) may be the most passionate in the world. (In the past rabid fans have punched and spit on riders.) There’s color, too: Italy has given the world such fashion hits as the pink jersey, white handlebar tape, and gold leather cycling shoes. But the ultimate fashion statement may have been sprinter Mario Cipollini’s frightening 2002 spandex tiger costume.

4. The Food
Vaughters says that although Garmin brings its own chefs to other races, including the Tour de France, it leaves cooking to the locals for the Giro. (Chefs entice riders with plates of fresh pasta — even during races.) If you’re lucky enough to be there, go for fresh fish at Antica Trattoria Pascalucci, in San Nicola Manfredi, close to the Giro stage finish in Benevento on May 28.

5. Some Lance Guy
When Armstrong said he’d do the Giro, Italians rejoiced. Though it’s not clear if he’ll be racing for victory or in support of one of his Astana teammates (such as Alberto Contador, who won the Giro in 2008), his presence will add another ring to the circus. There’s also the return of Italy’s Ivan Basso, the ’06 Giro champ, back after a two-year doping suspension. “It’s a must-win for him,” says Team Columbia-High Road’s Bob Stapleton. “Armstrong can make it interesting, but Basso’s on the hot seat.”

A QUICK GIRO PRIMER

Dates: May 9–31, 2009

Departs from: Venice

Time trial best to witness: The 61.7-kilometer time trial in Cinque Terre on May 21 is unusually challenging.

Favorites: Italy’s Ivan Basso, ’08 Tour de France champ Carlos Sastre, and who’d bet against Lance?

Americans to watch: Besides Armstrong? Garmin–Slipstream’s Christian Vande Velde, who wore the pink jersey for a stage last year. “We’d like to get the pink back,” says Vaughters.

How to get there: At press time American Airlines was offering round-trip flights from New York to Rome for as low as $600.

How to go: Go with a group like Outfitter Bicycle Tours (outfittertours.com) or Trek Travel (trektravel.com), which will arrange every­thing from airport pickups to morning espresso and let you ride the Giro route.

Best place to stay: Outfitter’s Dick Powell loves the chalet-style Sporthotel Europa (from $45; sporthotel
europa.com), in the Dolomites, which caters to cyclists.

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