Archives
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Saturday, May 28, 2005
Below is a guide to live internet/web
coverage of the 2005 Giro d'Italia.
Note: If you haven't already noticed, Eurosport
finally did begin broadcasting the Giro. What a race!
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Note: Regarding Eurosport U.K. Audio: On the
biggest day of the Giro, they are not respecting their own schedule and
are instead showing a mid round tennis match of the French Open. (Who
is playing, Prince Charles or something?) Originally scheduled to
begin at 14:30 CET (8:30am U.S. EST), they changed the start of the Giro
broadcast first to 15:00 CET and now 15:30 CET (9:30am U.S. EST). Stay
tuned.
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Note: If you have problems playing Eurosport audio
streams, do you have RealPlayer installed?
Note: Italy's RAI TRE live broadcast of today's
stage should begin at about 14:50 CET (8:50am U.S. EST). If you have
problems playing one of the live video streams (links below), either the
live streaming has not yet begun or the server is serving too many people
at that moment. Try one of the other links and/or wait a bit and try
again. It has to be assumed that a rather high number of people will
be attempting to view these streams today. Also, you must of course
have RealPlayer, Windows Media Player or equivalent installed.
In addition to the live video streams, below you will find links to
three Eurosport audio streams (in three languages), nine live tickers (in
five languages), and Radio Tour-driven real-time graphics.
"Real-time" graphics from the official site; see
link below
Also this week:
Race/Official site
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Live tickers
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Guide to live race coverage on the internet/web
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Ivan Basso (Team CSC)
Mont Ventoux, 2004
Notes: There haven't been many
Grand Tour riders in recent years who have looked dominant at times in
both the mountains and the time trials. Ivan Basso, meet Lance Armstrong.
And that they will in just over one month. Even allowing for
the absences of Armstrong and Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso's second place in
this Giro's first long time trial and win yesterday in the second are strong
evidence that this is a rider to be reckoned with in any Grand Tour. Confidence
can work wonders and Basso has got to like his chances for a great result
in the one long individual time trial in this year's Tour de France, in
the penultimate stage, particularly with the 3rd category climb toward
the end.
Speaking of emerging talents, Russian Vladimir Karpets
(Illes Balears), winner in the best young rider category in the 2004 Tour,
finished yesterday's TT just 9 seconds behind Basso and sits in 7th place
overall.
Dave Zabriskie (CSC), winner of the first long TT, rode another great
TT yesterday, finishing third.
Race leader Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel) finished
4th, gaining 1:11 on his nearest threat for the overall, Gilberto Simoni.
Simoni is now 2:09 behind Savoldelli heading into today's decisive
stage.
Today is a very difficult stage featuring the Colle della
Finestre climb sandwiched by two trips up to Sestriere where the stage finishes.
The final 8km or so of the Finestre climb is said to be a dirt road.
That should spice things up a bit.
As difficult as the stage is, the race situation on paper isn't that
complicated. There will be early breakaways by riders not contending
for overall victory, there will be attempts, which will succeed, to harden
the course and drop Savoldelli's teammates, isolating him, and there will
be Ivan Basso, out of contention but perhaps strongest of all, looking
to win his third consecutive stage by dynamiting the group of leaders on
the Finestre. Among that group of leaders should be Savoldelli, Simoni
and Rujano, perhaps Juan Manuel Garate, maybe Danilo Di Luca though he's
appeared to have reached his limits. Everyone knows Simoni will attack
on the Finestre. Savoldelli knows he needs to limit his losses and
has 2:09 with which to work. Potential complication for Savoldelli,
aside from the possibility of mechanical problems on the Finestre, could
come from the effect of multiple contenders dynamiting the course at different
spots along the climb. As race leader, it will be Savoldelli's responsibility
to react. Can the accumulation of such efforts by Savoldelli combined
with a well-timed final attack from Simoni result in Savoldelli losing
the race? Sure, but after three weeks of racing, how many of the
top riders have much left to really go on the attack? Will Rujano
prefer to preserve his podium spot (he is only 8 seconds ahead of Di Luca
and 13 seconds ahead of Garate) rather than risk everything? What
might happen during the course of the stage to drive the decision-making?
By the time the dust settles, perhaps literally, at the
top of the Finestre, we will have a good idea of how much pressure Savoldelli
will be under ahead of the 8km descent and final ascent to the finish
at Sestriere.
Time again for the fireworks pic:
Host town fireworks, St. Dizier
TTT
2003 Tour de France
photos © 2003, 2004 Pete Geyer
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Giro d'Italia
2005,
Italy
May 7-29, ProTour
Stage 19: May 28
Savigliano to Sestriere, 190km
(Tour of Italy)
(Tour d'Italie)
Live video coverage:
RAI TRE
(land)
realPlayer
DSL
-
56k
Windows Media
DSL
-
56k
(Italy's live TV coverage.
Usually begins after 15:00 CET (9am U.S. EST))
OLN live video webcast
(Unavailable
on weekends )
(U.S.A. only, subscription)
RAI Sport
(satellite)
(May not
be available today)
(Italian television
feed, not live)
(22:20 CET (4:20pm
U.S. EST))
(Repeat: 02:15 CET (8:15pm U.S. EST))
(times subject to change)
Live audio coverage:
Eurosport
(English)
(24-hour audio feed)
(14:30 CET (8:30am U.S.
EST))
(times subject to change)
Check schedule
Real-time graphics:
(go to site, select language)
Live tickers:
Radio Tour ticker
(concise race radio info)
Eurosport
(English)
Velonews
Cyclingnews
Daily Peloton
Official site
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Friday, May 27, 2005
Below is a guide to live internet/web
coverage of the 2005 Giro d'Italia.
Also this week:
Race/Official site
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Live tickers
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Guide to live race coverage on the internet/web
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Ivan Basso (Team CSC)
Mont Ventoux, 2004
Notes: Nice stage win yesterday
for Ivan Basso, showing as he did earlier in the race, before his stomach
troubles, that he perhaps came to this Giro in better form than his rivals.
He certainly gave cycling fans a glimpse of what might have been.
It was also a great day for Jose Rujano of Colombia-Selle Italia
and Gilberto Simoni of Lampre-Caffita. Though they finished the
stage 1:06 behind Basso, they both managed to gain 42 seconds on race
leader, Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel) and move up in the overall
standings. Simoni is now in second place at :58 and Rujano has leaped
up into third at 1:24.
The surprising Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas-Bianchi) finally had an
off day and dropped to fourth place at 1:26. Can Di Luca bounce
back and salvage at least a podium spot? He may yet surprise us
but Simoni and Rujano have looked strong.
Today's individual time trial, with a climb in the middle, followed
by a very tough final mountain stage tomorrow combine to make for quite
a test of the strength and recuperative abilities of the contenders for
the overall.
The two stages are tough enough as it is, but throw in the heat
wave in Europe at the moment, the fact that several riders are still in
contention for the overall win, and the possibility that Gilberto Simoni
is prepared to risk everything to grab that top step on the podium, and
there is every reason to believe that this already exciting Giro will
go out with a bang!
Can American Dave Zabriskie make it two for two in the long time
trials and also give CSC back-to-back stage wins?
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Giro d'Italia
2005,
Italy
May 7-29, ProTour
Stage 18: May 27
Chieri to Turin, Individual Time Trial, 34km
(Tour of Italy)
(Tour d'Italie)
Live video coverage:
RAI TRE
(land)
realPlayer
DSL
-
56k
Windows Media
DSL
-
56k
(Italy's live TV coverage.
Usually begins after 15:00 CET (9am U.S. EST))
OLN live video webcast
(9:00am-11:30am U.S. EDT
)
(U.S.A. only, subscription)
RAI Sport
(satellite)
(May
not be available today)
(Italian television
feed, not live)
(21:45 CET (3:45pm
U.S. EST))
(Repeat: 03:40 CET (9:40pm U.S. EST))
(times subject to change)
Live audio coverage:
Eurosport
(English)
(24-hour audio feed)
(15:00 CET (9:00am U.S.
EST))
(times subject to change)
Check schedule
Real-time graphics:
(go to site, select language)
Live tickers:
Radio Tour ticker
(concise race radio info)
Eurosport
(English)
Velonews
Cyclingnews
Daily Peloton
Official site
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Thursday, May 26, 2005
Below is a guide to live internet/web
coverage of the 2005 Giro d'Italia.
Also this week:
Race/Official site
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Live tickers
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Guide to live race coverage on the internet/web
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Christophe Le Mevel (Credit Agricole)
Trophee des Grimpeurs, 2004
Notes: Nice win for Frenchman
Christophe Le Mevel yesterday. Hard to believe this was the first
French stage win in the Giro since 1999 (Laurent Jalabert). It was
a sweet moment and first pro win for Le Mevel, who has had a long road
back from a serious crash in the 2002 Four Days of Dunkirk that severed
his sciatic nerve and left him partially paralyzed for months. The
injury has long limited what he can do on foot but he can sure ride a bike.
He dedicated his win to all those involved in his rehabilitation. Bravo
Christophe.
Today is the first of three consecutive days where the Giro overall
will be decided. Ahead of tomorrow's time trial, Gilberto Simoni
will want to attack race leader Paolo Savoldelli, hoping to get back
as much time as possible with the uphill finish. Savoldelli will
find himself isolated and will have to do what he can to deal with the
attacks. There likely won't be big time differences among the top
contenders but Danilo Di Luca is just 25 seconds behind Savoldelli and
would like to get back the pink jersey, along with the chance to ride last
in tomorrow's time trial. How strong is Savoldelli? Can he
hold on to the jersey today?
We may see attacks from others such as Juan Manuel Garate of Saunier
Duval-Prodir.
Whatever the end result, there will be fireworks!
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Giro d'Italia
2005,
Italy
May 7-29, ProTour
Stage 17: May 26
Varazze to Limone Piemonte, 194km
(Tour of Italy)
(Tour d'Italie)
Live video coverage:
RAI TRE
(land)
realPlayer
DSL
-
56k
Windows Media
DSL
-
56k
(Italy's live TV coverage.
Usually begins after 15:00 CET (9am U.S. EST))
OLN live video webcast
(8:20am-11:30am U.S. EDT
)
(U.S.A. only, subscription)
RAI Sport
(satellite)
(May
not be available today)
(Italian television
feed, not live)
(23:05 CET (5:05pm
U.S. EST))
(Repeat: 02:15 CET (8:15pm U.S. EST))
(times subject to change)
Live audio coverage:
Eurosport
(English)
(24-hour audio feed)
(14:30 CET (8:30am U.S.
EST))
(times subject to change)
Check schedule
Real-time graphics:
(go to site, select language)
Live tickers:
Radio Tour ticker
(concise race radio info)
Eurosport
(English)
Velonews
Cyclingnews
Daily Peloton
Official site
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Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Below is a guide to live
internet/web coverage of the 2005 Giro d'Italia.
Note: The RAI Sport (satellite) non-live
video stream seems to be working on and off
Note: The Giro returns to the climbs tomorrow,
Thursday, so most live coverage will begin earlier than usual.
Also this week:
Race/Official site
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Live tickers
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Guide to live race coverage on the internet/web
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Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo)
Paris-Nice, 2003
Notes: Alessandro Petacchi seems
to like going into the rest day with a win; he has won both stages
before rest days in this Giro. He now has three stage wins to
match the departed Robbie McEwen.
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Giro d'Italia
2005,
Italy
May 7-29, ProTour
Stage 16: May 25
Lissone to Varazze, 210km
(Tour of Italy)
(Tour d'Italie)
Live video coverage:
RAI TRE
(land)
realPlayer
DSL
-
56k
Windows Media
DSL
-
56k
(Italy's live TV coverage.
Usually begins after 15:00 CET (9am U.S. EST))
OLN live video webcast
(9:00am-11:30am U.S. EDT
)
(U.S.A. only, subscription)
RAI Sport
(satellite)
(May
not be available today)
(Italian television
feed, not live)
(22:45 CET (4:45pm
U.S. EST))
(Repeat: 03:30 CET (9:30pm U.S. EST))
(times subject to change)
Live audio coverage:
Eurosport
(English)
(24-hour audio feed)
(15:00 CET (9:00am U.S.
EST))
(times subject to change)
Check schedule
Real-time graphics:
(go to site, select language)
Live tickers:
Radio Tour ticker
(concise race radio info)
Eurosport
(English)
Velonews
Cyclingnews
Daily Peloton
Official site
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Tuesday, May 24, 2005
*** Giro rest day today
***
Note: The RAI Sport (satellite)
video stream (in the Giro "Live Guide" below) is working again, but
with today being a rest day there will be no cycling on, only sports
like volleyball, football/soccer, basketball and water polo. (But
no Professional Bull Riding!) Hopefully it will continue working
through the end of the Giro, for those of you who cannot follow one
of the live video streams. You need to have something like
Windows Media Player
(Windows or Mac) to view this stream.
Tour of Belgium starts tomorrow
Axel Merckx fans will have to root for someone else
at the Tour of Belgium this year; Merckx will not be competing
The 2005 Tour of Belgium starts tomorrow, Wednesday, May 25
and finishes Sunday, May 29.
The Tour of Belgium (or Tour de Belgique or Ronde van Belgie)
is not in the new ProTour and unfortunately it shows. US Postal
Service-Berry Floor was there last year, along with Lampre, AG2R,
Brioches la Boulangere and Cofidis. None of those teams (or
their replacements) will be competing this year.
Quick Step, Davitamon-Lotto and Rabobank do return this year,
bringing Tom Boonen, Peter Van Petegem and Jan Boven as team leaders.
Like last year, there are 15 teams and perhaps some of the lesser
known teams and riders will get a chance to show something.
You'll find the full start list and other information at the
official site:
Monday, May 23, 2005
Below is a guide to
live internet/web coverage of the 2005 Giro d'Italia.
Note: Unless they correct it, the race
position indicator on the stage profile in the "Radio Tour graphics"
is behind by approximately 50km due to the change in start town today.
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Note: Due to bad weather, today's stage
has been reduced to 150km and will start in Tirano instead of Livigno.
(source: Eurosport)
Note: Created a new section below, "Real-time
graphics," to provide direct access to the Radio Tour animated graphics.
This is a "Flash" application; you'll need to select your language
once you've opened the window. (More info about this application
in yesterday's entry.)
Guide to live race coverage on the internet/web
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Ivan Parra
Tour de France, 2003
Notes: A second consecutive stage
win for Ivan Parra of Selle Italia-Colombia, in stage 14. Counting
the prologue that means non-ProTour teams have won better than 25%
of the stages through stage 14, two by Selle Italia-Colombia and two
by Ceramica Panaria-Navigare.
Unfortunately, Ivan Basso's stomach troubles drained him of
so much energy that he lost 42 minutes in the stage, ending his chances
to compete for the overall. It's a shame, but a reminder that all
it takes is one bad day in a Grand Tour to put victory out of reach.
Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery Channel) held on to the leader's
jersey but did lose 28 seconds to Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas-Bianchi)
and Gilberto Simoni (Lampre-Caffita) who are second and third overall
at :25 and 1:48 respectively.
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Giro
d'Italia
2005, Italy
May 7-29, ProTour
Stage 15: May 23
Livigno to Lissone, 205km
(Tour of Italy)
(Tour d'Italie)
Live video coverage:
RAI TRE
(land)
realPlayer
DSL
-
56k
Windows Media
DSL
-
56k
(Italy's live TV coverage.
Usually begins after 15:00 CET (9am U.S. EST))
OLN live video webcast
(9:00am-11:30am U.S.
EDT )
(U.S.A. only, subscription)
RAI Sport
(satellite)
(
May not be available today)
(Italian television
feed, not live)
(22:50 CET (4:50pm
U.S. EST))
(Repeat: 02:00 CET (8:00pm U.S. EST))
(times subject to change)
Live audio coverage:
Eurosport
(English)
(24-hour audio feed)
(15:00 CET (9:00am U.S.
EST))
(times subject to change)
Check schedule
Real-time graphics:
(go to site, select language)
Live tickers:
Radio Tour ticker
(concise race radio info)
Eurosport
(English)
Velonews
Cyclingnews
Daily Peloton
Official site
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Sunday, May 22, 2005
Below is a guide to
live internet/web coverage of the 2005 Giro d'Italia.
Have you tried the Tempo Reale (real time) feature available
from the Radio Tour ticker at the official Giro d'Italia web site?
Driven by data from Radio Tour, it shows where the race is at
all times overlayed on top of the stage profile. It also automatically
updates with text (in multiple languages) and graphics showing the breakaways
and chasing peloton, with time differences. You can click on the
stage profile to see what the situation was at each point of the stage,
as well as view the real-time graphics from previous stages. You
can also zoom in on the graphic of the breakaway riders to see who is
in the breakaway and click on a rider to bring up information about him.
Nice. Look for the Tempo Reale button at the Radio Tour ticker,
link is below.
Also this week: Volta a Catalunya (Tour
of Catalonia), ProTour
Today: Stage 7: Pallejá to Barcelona
Guide to live race coverage on the
internet/web
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Paolo Savoldelli
Paris-Nice, 2005
Notes: Discovery Channel's decision
to sign Paolo Savoldelli this season is thus far the transfer of
the year, along with Liquigas-Bianchi's signing of Danilo Di Luca.
Savoldelli has been valuable in helping American Tom Danielson
learn the ropes of the European peloton, for instance in Paris-Nice
after Lance Armstrong's early departure. And now without Tour-level
climbing support in this Giro (plus Danielson had to drop out of the
race earlier in the week with a knee injury) Savoldelli has earned
a stage win and now the maglia rosa for Discovery Channel.
Speaking of great signings, how about American David Zabriskie
of Team CSC? The star of the Giro's first individual time trial,
Zabriskie was everywhere in yesterday's tough stage in support of
team leader and Giro leader Ivan Basso, on the climbs, on the fast
descents giving Basso a great line to follow on the corners, and on
the flats.
Unfortunately for Team CSC, Basso was unable to follow
when the inevitable attacks came on the climbs, reportedly suffering
from a stomach ailment. Basso lost the leader's jersey to Savoldelli
in this stage, won by Ivan Parra (Selle Italia-Colombia), but it could
have been worse. He dropped to second place overall 50 seconds
behind new race leader Savoldelli. Di Luca is also still in the
game in third place, just three seconds behind Basso.
Gilberto Simoni who along with teammate Damiano Cunego
attacked as expected, is in 4th place at 2:16 and will continue to
look for opportunities anytime the road goes up.
Savoldelli has been the most consistent of the main contenders
and looks strong and in control, just like Basso did two days ago.....
In 13 stages the pink jersey has changed hands 8 times.
What a race.
Another tough stage today, featuring the legendary Stelvio
Pass. Will anyone put Savoldelli in difficulty?
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Giro d'Italia
2005, Italy
May 7-29, ProTour
Stage 14: May 22
Egna to Livigno, 210km
(Tour of Italy)
(Tour d'Italie)
Live video coverage:
RAI TRE
(land)
realPlayer
DSL
-
56k
Windows Media
DSL
-
56k
(Italy's live TV coverage.
Usually begins after 15:00 CET (9am U.S. EST))
OLN live video webcast
(
Unavailable on weekends)
(U.S.A. only, subscription)
RAI Sport
(satellite)
(
May not be available today)
(Italian television
feed, not live)
(23:00 CET (5:00pm
U.S. EST))
(Repeat: 07:10 CET (1:10am U.S. EST))
(times subject to change)
Live audio coverage:
Eurosport
(English)
(24-hour audio feed)
(14:30 CET (8:30am U.S.
EST))
(times subject to change)
Check schedule
Live tickers:
Radio Tour ticker
(concise race radio info)
Eurosport
(English)
Velonews
Cyclingnews
Daily Peloton
Official site
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