Yesterday end up one of the most battled Tour d'Italy/Giro d'Italia of the last decade...a long break-out on race 6 opened a huge gap with the favorite (Basso, Evan, Vinokurov), and the less-know spaniard Arrow got 12 minutes of advantages in the tournament...

But the terrible climbing of the Mountain Zoncolon (the hardest climb in Europe, with a an average gradient of 14% and maximum of 24%) and the Mortirolo (the second hardest one with 12% average and maximum gradient of 18%) showed the return at the top level of Ivan Basso, who win the stage of the Zoncolon and dominated the stage with the Mortirolo...

Basso looked very strong on climbing, and with the Tour De France around the corner we can start to project a titatic battle with Alberto Contador...

This is the Tour has more mountains that any past edition, and only a trial at the end of 51km...

From Contador, to Basso, from Armstrong to the Schleck brothers we should see a great battle this year...

Contador is of course the no. 1 candidate for the final victory, but Basso has showed to be a real treat for the great spaniard climber...

Cannot wait to the starting of the Grand Boucle!
BM