Danilo Di Luca lays down the gauntlet

Danilo Di Luca Giro 2009 stage 10

published 19 May 2009

Giro d'Italia stage 10 photo gallery, by Graham Watson>>

Danilo Di Luca laid down the gauntlet to the time triallists by winning the long, albeit watered down, mountain stage in the Giro d?Italia.

Thursday?s 61-kilometre time trial is a not only long, but it?s hilly, and although it may not play directly into the hands of the likes of Denis Menchov, Michael Rogers, Ivan Basso and Levi Leipheimer, Di Luca knows he will be at a disadvantage.

This 10th stage was supposed to offer a taste of the Fausto Coppi era. Originally the Maddalena, Col de Vars and Col d?Izoard had been on the menu but the organisers changed the route to avoid France. The official reasons given were that there was snow, or landslides, or that there would be a clash between French and Italian radio frequencies, which would play havoc with the race communications. But the announcement was made at the time when Lance Armstrong was having his difficulty with the French anti-doping agency.

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Danilo Di Luca lays down the gauntlet

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