MILAN, 2 June 2003 — Italian Gilberto Simoni bounced back following the humiliation of being kicked out of last year’s Tour of Italy to cruise to victory in the race here yesterday.
The 31-year-old Saeco rider, who won the Giro in 2001 before being thrown out of last year’s edition after a positive test for cocaine for which he was later cleared, kept the title in home hands for the seventh straight year.
The Italian climb specialist built up a 7min 06sec lead on compatriot Stefano Garzelli over the three-week race, with Yaroslav Popovych of the Ukraine a further five seconds behind.
“I never look back,” explained Simoni of his fightback following last year’s disappointment.
“I started afresh and thought only about racing. I approached this Giro in a different manner,” said Simoni, admitting that the key had been when he took the lead from bitter rival Garzelli after the 10th stage to Faenza.
“I acted in a more reasoned way, less instinctive. Like in the Faenza stage, where my attack was pre-meditated. I took off at the right moment. If I hadn’t, Garzelli would have taken a 20-second advantage. They made a big mistake by underestimating me.”
And Simoni warned four-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong of the United States that he was ready to challenge him this year.
“I’m going to try and give Armstrong a tough time. Until now he hasn’t been challenged by real climbers,” said Simoni.
“The Tour course doesn’t seem too hard to me, but then we thought the same about the Giro and it proved challenging.”
Armstrong, who usually snubs the Giro and the Vuelta to concentrate solely on the Tour, is aiming for a record-equalling fifth victory this year.
Ukrainian Serhiy Honchar, the 2000 world time-trial champion of the De Nardi team, won the 21st and final stage of the Tour of Italy, a 33km time-trial.
Honchar came home alone 19sec ahead of Italian Marzio Bruseghin with Spaniard Aitor Gonzalez a further second off the pace. The race, which has been rocked by doping scandals in recent years, was controversy-free this year.
Simoni took control during the tough mountain stages, with three wins - Monte Zoncolan, Alpe de Pampeago, Cascata del Toce - and two second place finishes, in the five grueling climbs.
Italy’s Alessandro Petacchi also stamped his mark on the race, winning six stages in sprint finishes to equal the record of compatriot Mario Cipollini in 2002.
World champion Cipollini, who won a record 42nd stage during the race, withdrew after a fall in the 11th stage left him with rib injuries.
It was the fourth podium finish for Simoni who was third in 1999 and 2000, and also claimed this year’s points winner prize.
