The ‘Smiling Assassin’, Ivan Basso certain to win the Giro despite his defensive strategy
Monday, May 28th, 2012 5:24:28 by Ahmed Babar
The ‘Smiling Assassin’, Ivan Basso certain to win the Giro despite his defensive strategy
Ivan Basso is desperate in need of a victory at the Giro d’ Italia 2012. The cyclist has not opened his winning account for the season and is testing his legs at the Italian race.
The Italian currently holds the 6th overall position after the stage 15 classifications and is determined to bridge the gap during the coming stages of the race.
Matteo Rabottini of Team Farnese Vini-Selle Italia is leading the classifications with Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver of Team Katusha occupying the second position.
Alberto Losada Alguacil of Team Katusha is 23 seconds behind at the third spot while Sergio Luis Henao Montoya of Team Sky and Michele Scarponi of Team Lampre-ISD holds the fifth and the sixth positions respectively.
Basso is saving his strengths for the coming stages of the race and is certain of his supreme form for the later part of the Giro d’Italia.
He cited, “Slowly but surely, the overall classification of the Giro d’Italia is taking shape. At the end of next week, we can arrive at a higher position”.
“The fight is very open. There’s one week of battles to come. The three hardest stages are yet to come. I remain very, very confident”, he concluded.
“I’m convinced that my behavior and my team’s behavior are right. I’m sure that it’ll pay off at the end of next week”.
“People say that my team exposes itself too much to the wind but we just ride the same way we did in 2010”.
The 34-year-old succeeded during the Giro d’Italia 2006 and 2010 and is determined to bag his third overall victory at the Italian Grand Tour this season.
Top ten cyclists after the end of stage 15 are as below,
| 1 | Matteo Rabottini (Ita) Farnese Vini – Selle Italia | 5:15:30 | |
| 2 | Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team | ||
| 3 | Alberto Losada Alguacil (Spa) Katusha Team | 0:00:23 | |
| 4 | Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling | 0:00:25 | |
| 5 | Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre – ISD | ||
| 6 | Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale | ||
| 7 | Stefano Pirazzi (Ita) Colnago – CSF Inox | 0:00:29 | |
| 8 | Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team | ||
| 9 | John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale | ||
| 10 | Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel – Euskadi | ||
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Posted by Ahmed Babar
on May 28 2012. Filed under Pakistan.
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