Colombia rules Under 27 version of the Giro d’Italia
Carlos Alberto Betancourt recorded his biggest victory by securing the GiroBio overall classification today in Gaiole in Chianti, Italy. Betancourt’s win is the second consecutive Colombian win at the GiroBio, which his Colombian team-mate Edward Beltran underscored this year by finishing second overall.
The GiroBio, formally called the Baby Giro, is the Under 27 version of the Giro d’Italia. Several of its past winners, including Marco Pantani and Gilberto Simoni, have gone on to win the Giro d’Italia.
Colombian Cayetano Sarmiento won last year’s edition ahead of Italian Manuele Caddeo and Brit Peter Kennaugh. This year, Sarmiento races this year for Acqua & Sapone.
Betancourt, 20 years old, grabbed a hold of the lead during the race’s two mountaintop finishes: Gallio and Monte Grappa. He won both stages and emerged as the clear favourite to win the race’s overall. He successfully defended his lead in Friday’s time trial, finishing 12th, and over the two weekend stages.
Reigning Under 23 national champion, Italian Matteo Rabottini (Aran d’Angelo) won today’s final stage to Gaiole in Chianti. The stage took in some of the same gravel roads that the Giro d’Italia used this year during its stage to Montalcino, won by World Champion Cadel Evans.
Rabottini has a contract in place with Lampre and turns professional next month.
Stages and winners
Stage 1, Cairo Montenotte – Cairo (111.6 km), Omar Lombardi
Stage 2, Serravalle Scrivia – Salsomaggiore Terme (168.9 km), Gianluca Leonardi
Stage 3, Salsomaggiore Terme – Ghedi (155.5 km), Andrea Guardini
Stage 4, Peschiera del Garda – Gallio (Melette) (154.2 km), Carlos Alberto Betancourt
Stage 5, Pozzoleone – Monte Grappa (184.1 km), Carlos Alberto Betancourt
Stage 6, Castelfranco Emilia – Cesenatico (148.2 km), Paolo Locatelli
Stage 7, Tavullia – Urbino I.T.T. (30.5 km), Tom Dumoulin
Stage 8, Faenza – Vitolini Vinci (170.9 km), Jonathan Alejandro Monsalve
Stage 9, Firenze – Gaiole in Chianti (153.6 km), Matteo Rabottini
Betancourt’s win concluded the 37th edition of the race, which began in 1970. Giancarlo Bellini won the first edition and as a professional won the Monte Trebbio stage of the 1978 Giro d’Italia. Francesco Moser, Giovanni Battaglin, Pantani, Simoni and Danilo Di Luca each won the amateur and then professional version.
Last year, the organisers re-established their race after a two-year hiatus and re-named it the GiroBio. They introduced several new rules to ensure a clean race and to help steer young cyclists in the right direction. Before the race, each team had to submit a list of all prescribed drugs and supplements to the race’s medical staff.
Team Russia’s list was not in order and its riders could not start, while organisers kicked out team Lucchini-Unidelta after the race started. Its team manager Bruno Leali is under police investigation for carrying banned drugs and medicines without prescriptions.