Alessandro Petacchi bemoans climbs on the 2011 Giro d'Italia route
Italian sprinter Alessandro Petacchi, winner of the points classification in this year's Tour de France, has voiced complaints at the route chosen for the 2011 edition of the Giro d'Italia.
Seven of the 21 stages on the 2011 Giro route, which was announced on Monday, have been classified as flat. Despite their categorisation, five of these stages contain climbs near the finish, which could
complicate things for some sprinters.
"It seems we've always got to go out and work to make sure a stage ends in a sprint," Petacchi, who believes sprinters to have been disfavoured by Giro organisers RCS Sport, told
Cyclingnews. "They say there are seven stages for the sprinters but there are probably only two really flat stages where the peloton will stay together and we're certain to end in a sprint."
This year's Vuelta a Espana route also had a lack of completely flat stages, as most contained at least one ascent for the points classification riders to deal with.
Petacchi: Sprinters have to adapt
Petacchi, who has 21 stage wins in the Giro to his name and won the points classification of the race in 2004, said the inclusion of smaller climbs would force riders like himself to adapt their tactics.
"If I'm going well, the tough finishes can be an advantage because the pure sprinters might get dropped while I hang on and then still be up there in the sprint."
The 36-year-old also added that the inclusion of so many climbs could cause harm to the bikes of the contestants, citing Lance Armstrong's troubled ride through the third stage of this year's Tour as an
example.
"Some of the climbs, like the one before the finish in Livorno, which I know, are not that difficult but what about the safety aspect? You could lose a Giro just because of a puncture on a dirt road or
pave. Look at Armstrong, he lost time in the Tour de France because he punctured on the pave. Is that fair?"
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