It’s now 25 years since Gianni Bugno joined a select handful of riders - Eddy Merckx, Alfredo Binda and Costante Girardengo being the others - who have won the Giro d’Italia after leading it from beginning to end. And although such a feat is unlikely (but not impossible) to happen in 2015, the President of the International Riders Association (CPA) warns that the Giro’s early climbs - and which riders shine on them - could have a greater-than-expected impact on the overall classification.
As Bugno explained to Italian newspaper La Stampa on Thursday, he believes Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) and his bid for the Giro-Tour double may well give the first week’s mountain top finishes, particularly stage five’s ascent to Abetone, the first summit finish, more importance than usual.
“The leading light is [Alberto] Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) who has won more than the rest of them. [Fabio] Aru (Astana) and [Rigoberto] Urán (Etixx-Quick Step) should, with the rest of the rivals, try to wear him out together, because attacking him solo won’t get him dropped,” Bugno claimed.
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Bugno argued to the paper that Contador’s decision to go for a Giro-Tour double could have a big effect on how the first part of the Italian Grand Tour plays out - and how Aru, this year’s main Italian hope, could race it.
“Aru did a great Giro in 2014 and if he has come on again he could cause problems for the Spaniard, but above all, we have to see if Contador is strongly focussed on the Tour. In that case, he may not be at the top of his form early on and he could be vulnerable in the first week,” Bugno said.
With that in mind, even though Mortirolo on stage 16, which coincidentally first featured in the 1990 Giro d’Italia, has been named by some riders as vital for the Giro’s outcome, Bugno is not so convinced.
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