Thats him on the ground below, with a closeup of the wet cobbles. Ugly stuff.Gustovs ride, of course, was nicely bookended by Konovalovas, the current Lithuanian national time-trial champion who was riding his first grand tour. It was the Replica Zenith watches teams fourth stage win of the Giro. Two of those came from defending Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre, who finished fourth overall. American Levi Leipheimer finished sixth in the final standings, and his Astana Teammate Lance Armstrong was 12th in his first grand tour since winning the 2005 Tour de France.—John Bradley
Just back from riding the 14-kilometer time-trial course through Rome that will serve as the final stage of the Giro. Very technical course. Something like 30 turns, including some switchbacks coming down a short, steep hill, and most of the route goes Replica Cartier watches over oily cobblestone roads. If that weren’t enough, the forecast calls for rain by race time. The route is a showcase of Rome’s biggest sites. It passes by dozens of historical sites, including the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, and the Vatican. If you can, be sure to watch the live coverage on Universal Sports (there’s a live stream on their website, too). Should provide for some stunning imagery.
Below are a couple of photos I took before we set out today. Couldn’t take any during the actual ride, but we had a pro photographer following us on a Replica Omega watches motorcycle. Will post some of those images as soon as I get them.The course is too short, and the gaps in the overall too big, for any changes at the top of the overall standings. Barring a crash, Denis Menchov will end the day in pink. But there are still stage honors to be had. My picks for the podium in Rome: Menchov, Levi Leipheimer, and Lance Armstrong.—John Bradley
