What a cuppla days for the Astana cycling team.

Johan Bruyneel’s team is bound for the Giro d’Italia after the Giro organizer, RCS, reversed field and extended an invitation to the race.

And on Sunday, Andreas Kloden wrapped up the Tour of Romandie in Switzerland. Klodie took the leader’s jersey in the Stage 4 time trial and the team expertly defended it in the next two stages.

Although getting an invite to a three-week stage race just seven days before the race is not an ideal situation, but it looks as if Astana’s Giro lineup will be stacked, with defending Tour de France winner Alberto Contador and past TdF podium finishers Levi Leipheimer and Kloden on the roster.

This may be the best Giro in years, in terms of the competition, and it certainly will be the best grand tour this season, supplanting the Tour de France because of the belated inclusion of Astana. Joining Astana’s heavyweights will be joined by two-time Vuelta a Espana winner Denis Menchov of Rabobank, and former Giro winners Gilberto Simoni and Danilo DiLuca. 

In addition, young gun Konstantin Sivtsov, the Tour de Georgia winner, will be High Road’s maglia rosa contender.

Ol’ 10 Speed plans to sign up for the Versus streaming telecast to follow the race. The Giro will be one awesome race.

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