CONTADOR, RICCO AND SIMONI TO FACE OFF IN FINAL GIRO D'ITALIA MOUNTAINS

Giro 2008 logo

After almost three weeks of talking and racing, the Giro d?Italia will almost certainly be decided in the next two days in the final mountain stages in the Italian Alps.

Alberto Contador (Astana) has a 41 second lead on Riccardo Ricco (Saunier Duval) and 1-21 on Gilberto Simoni (Diquigiovanni) but the two Italians are promising to attack on the uphill finish to Monte Pora on Friday and then if that does not work, make one last desperate attack on the Passo Gavia and the Passo del Mortirolo on Saturday.

Contador tested his sprint finish in Varese on Thursday as he finished more than seven minutes behind stage winner Jens Voigt (CSC) and made it clear he will sprint against Ricco for the 20-second time bonus and may even attack to gain more time instead of just defending his pink jersey.

?I?m not afraid of the final mountain stages. They will be hard but the mountains are my terrain,? Contador said.

?My rivals will try and attack me, they have to, but I?ll try and take advantage and gain more time.?

?Simoni could attack early on the first big climb of the stage. I?ll wait and see if I go with him, I don?t have to chase him immediately. We?ll see what the situation in the race is and how many team mates are with me.?

?Ricco is fast in a sprint and will be up there but so will I. I don?t want to lose any time on the uphill finish and so will also have a go in the sprint.?

RICCO READY TO ATTACK DESPITE COUGH

Ricco claims he has struggled to sleep in the last few nights due to his cough but promised he would try something.

?The 140km we did in the rain haven?t done anything to help my bronchitis, in fact it seems to be getting worse and worse,? Ricco said.

?However, I don?t want to use it as an excuse because Friday will be the big day of the Giro even if the Mortirolo could also cause some big changes."

Riccardo Ricco Giro 2008

Ricco: Ready for the attack, cough or not

?People keep telling me that Contador is in great shape because the rain has got rid of all the pollen in the air and that helps the allergies he?s supposed to have. Everything seems to be going against me but obviously I?m not going to give up.?

I can?t say what I?m going to do but I know that we?ve got to do something, the time for mind games is over. Whoever has got the legs has to go on the attack on Friday and Saturday. If the stages are aggressive it?ll be better for me. Contador?s team will have to control things and so if we all attack them, we?ve got more chance of isolating Contador and make him more vulnerable.?

STAGE DETAILS

Friday?s 228km 19th stage starts in Legnano west of Milan and ends at Monte Pora at an altitude of 1453 metres. In between is the Passo del Vivione which climbs up to 1828 metres. It is 19.8km long and ends with a final five kilometers at 9.5%.

It could be the ideal place to attack Contador because the remaining 50km are in the rolling hills before the 6.4km climb (at 6.8%) up to the finish at Monte Pora.

Saturday?s 224km 20th stage is more suited to long-range, last chance attacks. The stage starts in Rovetta and ends in Tirano near Sondrio after climbing the Passo Gavia ?the highest climb in this year?s Giro at 2618 metres, and the steep Passo del Mortirolo. The final 24km are downhill either helping Contador or setting up a dramatic pursuit match all the way to the finish.

GIRO D'ITALIA 2008: STAGE REPORTS

Stage 18: Voigt wins Giro d'Italia 'Worlds' stage in Varese

Stage 17: Cav gifts Greipel the stage

Stage 16: Pellizotti wins mountain time trial

Stage 15: Sella strikes again in the mountains

Stage 14: Sella wins first Giro mountains stage

Stage 13: Easy victory for super-fast Cavendish

Stage 12: Bennati gets photo finish verdict over Cavendish

Stage 11: Bertolini wins hilly stage

Stage 10: Bruseghin wins Giro d'Italia time trial

Stage nine: Cavendish misses out in sprint

Stage eight: Ricco wins again

Stage seven: Di Luca, Ricco and Contador gain time on rivals

Stage six: Italians clean upStage five: Millar denied by snapped chain

Stage four: Cavendish wins

Stage three: Bennati romps home

Stage two: Ricco wins Giro d'Italia second stage

Stage one TTT: Slipstream wins Giro team time trial

GIRO D'ITALIA 2008: NEWS

Six Brits finish mountain time trial [stage 16]

Cavendish disappointed after missing out in Giro sprint

Can Cavendish win the Giro today? [stage 12]

Aggressive Cummings comes away empty handed [stage six]

Millar speaks out after missing out in Giro [stage five]

Reaction to Cavendish's Giro stage win

Cav hits back at Pozzato's snipe

Cavendish: This is my biggest win [stage four]

Millar celebrates Slipstream Giro d'Italia success

Bettini looking for final Giro glory

Astana's troubled build-up to the Giro

Petacchi banned for Salbutamol positive

Yates and Astana make last minute rush to Giro

GIRO D'ITALIA 2008: PHOTOS

Giro d'Italia 2008: Photo gallery, week three - new photos added daily

Giro d'Italia 2008: Photo gallery, week two - new photos added daily

Giro d'Italia 2008: Photo gallery, week one.

GIRO D'ITALIA 2008: FEATURES

Five days to go, what's in store?

Giro d'Italia 2008: Rest day review (May 27)

Cycling Weekly's all-time list of British pro winners

Giro d'Italia 2008: Rest day review (May 19)

Rest day 1: How the favourites are doing

Giro Britannia part two: From rule Britannia to cruel Britannia

Tuesday Comment (May 13): Why Cavendish is a bona fide world-class star

Giro Britannia: how the Brits are doing in Italy

Giro d'Italia 2008 preview

Giro d'Italia 2008: who will win?

Giro d'Italia 2008: The British are coming

Giro d'Italia on Eurosport: TV schedule

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