The 2012 Giro d'Italia will begin on Saturday and the BMC Racing Team out of Santa Rosa will be attempting to make a strong showing as they represent the Bay Area in cycling's second-most-prestigious annual race.
The first day in the tour on Saturday will be a relatively simple and sedate 8.7 km (5.4 mile) individual time trial in Herning, Denmark. BMC team members you'll want to track include Thor Hushovd, Mathias Frank, Alessandro Ballan, Marco Pinotti, Mauro Santambrogio, Ivan Santaromita, Johann Tschopp, Danilo Wyss and American Taylor Phinney.
Hushovld, of course, is known for being an exceptional sprinter and excels at time trials. Odds are good that he can put up a great number for himself before the first significant flat stage begins on Sunday.
You can always follow along yourself with free streaming video of the race at SteepHill.tv. The start time for stage one is 6:40 a.m. pacific on May 5, with an approximate finish time of 10:30 p.m. that night. Last year's Giro was televised on Vs. (now NBC SportsNet), but the Kentucky Derby and the Stanley Cup playoffs seem to be conflicting with that for the time being.
For more on the 2012 Giro d'Italia, stay tuned to this StoryStream or visit SB Nation's cycling blog Podium Cafe.
