2005 Giro d'Italia

The 88th Giro d' Italia was held to 29 May 2005 of 7. It consisted of a prologue and 20 stages with a total length of 3440 kilometers ( 3498 km were scheduled ).

The prologue in Reggio Calabria was the shortest ever to be discharged: He was only 1150 feet long and was won by Brett Lancaster by a margin of 29 hundredths of a second. The first half of the Giro was characterized by flat to slightly hilly stages. Paolo Bettini and Danilo di Luca delivered an exciting duel for the Maglia Rosa; Only a few seconds separated the two.

After the 11th stage up Zoldo Alto could Ivan Basso, the most mentioned favorite for the Giro victory to take the lead in the overall standings, but he was only just 18 seconds ahead of Paolo Savoldelli. After the 13th stage Savoldelli was in the lead again. Basso complained of mild abdominal pain and lost a little more than a minute. In the severe stage 14 ( among others, with the Stelvio Pass ) Basso got off to a bad day; the stomach pain had become even stronger. Basso lost no less than 42 minutes on the stage winner and fell far behind in the overall standings.

Due to bad weather in the region around Livigno the 15th stage from 205 to 147 km had to be shortened. Thus, the total distance from the originally planned 3498 km was reduced to 3440 km. In the meantime, Ivan Basso had recovered and won the mountain stage to Limone Piemonte and the individual time trial in Turin. Before the 19th stage already everything seemed decided: Savoldelli was 2:09 minutes ago Gilberto Simoni and 3'00 in front of José Rujano. The climb up to Sestriere Savoldelli could not keep up with the two and fell back. Finally, however, he saved a lead of 28 or 45 seconds.

Stages

* Shortened due to bad weather, planned were 205 km