Bicycling Italian Style: Giro d' Italia, May 12-June 3, 2007 Ivan Basso removes himself because of Operacion Puerto scandal, Discovery Team USA's LOSS

Arrividerci, Ivab Basso. We are very sorry to lose you. We will miss you. Buona fortuna con "Operacion Puerto." Welcome Yaroslav Popovych, a 27 year old Ukranian! Discovery's new team leader, "Popo," has completed 5 Grand Tours, including 3 Giro d' Italias and 2 Tour d' Frances.The Giro d' Italia (Tour of Italy) bicycle race is May 12th to June 3rd, 2007. The winner wears the Maglia Rosa, a pink jersey. The King of the Mountains wears the Maglia Verde, a green jersey, and the Sprinter jersey is determined by who gets the most points, not necessarily the winner of the stage, and that jersey is the Maglia Ciclomina, or the white jersey. Yaroslav will be moved to a higher position on the Discovery Team USA. As of yet there still is no sponsor!!!

Other great Italian bicyclists include Marco Pantani, Mario Cipollini, Paolo Bettini, and my favorite, Faustio Coppi.

Riders on the Discovery Team USA this year include leader, Yaroslav Popovych. Popovych will be joined by teammates: Volodomyr Bileka, Steve Cummings, Pavel Padrnos, Jose Luis "Chechu" Rubiera, Tomas Vaitkus, Brian Vandborg, Jurgen Van Goolen, and Matthew "Whitey" White.