TNT Sports
Giro diary: Part I
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Published 29/04/2004 at 19:42 GMT+1
With less than 10 days remaining before the 87th Giro d'Italia, the world's second largest cycling tour is closing in at lightning pace. Eurosport.com gives you the latest news -- good and bad -- of riders heading down the one-way road toward 'destination
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Frigo out, VDB in
Fassa Bortolo's Franck Vandenbroucke will replace his ailing teammate Dario Frigo at the Giro. The Italian has been out of action since Paris-Nice, which he won in 2001, with a viral infection.
"I need somebody capable of working for Petacchi in the flat stages, but who can also take his own chances in the middle mountains," said team manager Giancarlo Ferretti.
"Frank is the only one in my team right now who can handle this double duty. I won't be expecting anything from him in the general classification, but he should get into the breaks and try to win one or more stages."
VDB's participation in the Giro is a consolation for not being selected to ride in the Tour de France.
Astarloa sporting new colours
Despite missing out on the spring classics, newly signed Lampre rider Igor Astarloa is looking forward to next month's Giro d'Italia.
"The classics were my main objective but I was forced to miss out because of non-sport related reasons," the reigning world road champion said. "Now the Giro is arriving and I'm going to try to do well."
Despite hopes of winning a stage, the Spaniard expects to get off to a slow start. "I don't think I'll be competitive during the first week since I haven't raced in a while."
Popovych a model of modesty
Yaroslav Popovych, who became a sensation back in his native Ukraine following his surprise third place finish in last year's Giro, is not making any predictions about this year's race.
"I have a lot of trouble setting goals for myself", Popovych told French cycling monthly Velo Magazine. "I'm so afraid of failure... When I hear Italian journalists saying 'Popovych can win everything', I feel uncomfortable.
"And to be perfectly honest, I consider myself to be a notch below [Gilberto] Simoni or [Stefano] Garzelli for the general classification."
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