Cunego gained about 30 seconds in yesterday's TT so the GC now looks like
this:
after stage 8
1 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 36.06.47
2 Ivan Basso (Ita) Team CSC 0.09
3 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Discovery Channel-Pro Cycling Team 0.35
4 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 1.15
5 Dario David Cioni (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 1.27
6 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Liquigas-Bianchi 1.35
7 Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 1.38
8 Serguei Gonchar (Ukr) Domina Vacanze 1.39
9 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner 2.10
10 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Lampre-Caffita 2.11
They made all the happy talk before the race about Cunego riding for
Simoni, but the picture is a bit clearer now. This kinda reminds me of
the 97 TdF when Riis realized that his teammate was the strongman so
swallowed his ego and assumed the role of helping Ullrich win. Anyone
think Simoni will do the same, or will he ride for his chance at the
glory of finishing behind Cunego and Gonchar again and probably
Savoldelli and Basso too?
NS