Giro d’Italia Quiz!

May 04, 2012

Jamie Jowett | Photography by RCS Sport

We're only one day away from the 95th Giro d'Italia and I couldn't be more excited. The Giro has an Italian flavour that sets it apart from all other races. It's colorful, beautiful, unpredictable, chaotic, and gruelling. Today, I present to you a quiz written by Jamie Jowett to test your knowledge of the Giro. Try to see how many you can answer without Googling....

1. The Giro starts in another country, with that city being the birthplace of which current team Directeur Sportif?

A. Herning, Denmark; Bjarne Riis.
B. Izegem, Belgium; Johan Bruyneel
C. Haelen, Netherlands; Frans Maassen
D. St. Catharines, Ontario; Steve Bauer

2. Four teams have a wild card entry to this year’s Giro, including Colnago-CSF Inox and Androni Giocottoli. Name either of the two other teams with a wild card?

A. Team Net App (GER)
B. Faranese Vini (GB).
C. Vacansoleil-DCM (NL)
D. 1T4i (NL)
E. Porsche-Drapac (AUS)

3. In the 2010 Giro, what was the special connection for the winners of the KOM, Best Young Rider, and Points jersey?

A. They were all under 50kg
B. They all used Speedplay pedals
C. They were all Aussies
D. They were all Italians

4. Why is the leader’s jersey (Maglia Rosa) pink?

A. It’s Mario Cipollini’s favorite color.
B. To match the color of Italy’s national flower.
C. To match the colour of the sponsor’s newspaper.

5. Forienzo Magni was famous for racing on in 1956 despite a broken collarbone. What technique did he use to keep riding?

A. He held a piece of tape between his teeth that was tied to the handlebars, for leverage.
B. He masked the pain with amphetamines.
C. He strapped his arm to his chest and rode with one hand.

6. On the Zoncolan climb in 2011, the Race organisers banned what things from the stage?

A. Race Radios.
B. Team cars.
C. Gelati vans.

7. Cadel Evans first wore the Maglia Rosa in which year?

A. 2002.
B. 2004.
C. 2001.
D. 1999.

8. How many days did Richie Porte wear the Maglia Rosa in 2010?

A. 1.
B. 5.
C. 3.
D. none

9. Brad McGee wore the Maglia Rosa for two stages in 2004, finishing 8^th overall that year. After McGee, Evans and Porte, name one only other Aussie to have worn the Maglia Rosa, and in what sort of stage did he win it?

A. Brett Lancaster, in 2005 after the 1.15km prologue ITT.
B. Michael Wilson in 1985 after the Team Time Trial
C. Matty Lloyd in 2010 after winning a fluke sprint finish

10. What is the name given to the highest point in the Giro d’Italia each year (which also carries higher KOM points), Cimo….?

A. Coppi
B. Fausto
C. Basso
D. Cipollini

11. What is the nickname of Damiano Cunego, winner of the 2004 Giro?

A. The Little Devil.
B. The Little Prince.
C. Il poco merda.
D. The Little Princess

12. How many times has Ivan Basso won the Giro?

A. Once.
B. Twice.
C. Three times.

13. Which current Green Edge rider had his stage win taken off him and was disqualified in 2005 along with Paolo Bettini for clashing in the final sprint?

A. Baden Cooke.
B. Robbie McEwen
C. Stuart O’Grady
D. Matty Wilson

14. How many times has local Melbourne legend Tom Leaper raced the Giro?

A. Once.
B. Twice.
C. Three times.

15. The only time the Giro has been won on the final stage was in 1984 by Francesco Moser. He took 80 sec’s and the win from Laurent Fignon, who later complained of:

A. Moser receiving assistance from the helicopter above.
B. Being directed the wrong way by police.
C. Saddle sores.

16. Who is the officially winner of the 2011 Giro?

A. Michele Scarponi.
B. Alberto Contador.
C. Dennis Menchov.

17. In the 1956 Giro, Charly Gaul won the race with a magnificent win two stages from the end. Going into the 2^nd last stage, he was placed:

A. 24^th and 16 minutes off the pace.
B. 2^nd and 16 seconds behind.
C. 104^th and 116 minutes off the pace.

18. The 2010 edition of the Giro featured an epic classic gravel stage in Tuscany called the…?

A. Strada Bianchi
B. Monte Zoncolan
C. Colle delle Finestre

19. Cadel Evans won that muddy stage into Montalcino, but who wore the Maglia Rosa that night?

A. Alexander Vinokourov.
B. Vincenzo Nibali.
C. David Arroyo.

20. In 1998 Marco Pantani won with a magnificent climb to Montecampione, putting 30 minutes into his nearest rival Alex Zulle. What else did Pantani win that year?

A. The Tour de France
B. The World Championships
C. La Vuelta
D. The Hour Record

21. How many stages of the Giro did Mario Cippolini win?

A. 42.
B. 13.
C. 30.

22. How many stages in the Giro has Robbie McEwen won?

A. 7.
B. 12.
C. 21.
D. Should have been 31 but it was always someone else’s fault

23. Ten Australians in total have won a stage in the Giro. Name them?

24. Green Edge is the first Aussie team to compete in a Grand Tour. Name the two Canucks selected on the team?

25. Three riders have won five Giro’s each; name two?

26. The fastest average speed in a Giro stage was in 1981 by Miltono Pridemore over 126 km’s at an average of…?

A. 38 km’s/hr
B. 49 km’s/hr.
C. 46 km’s/hr.

27. Name the Aussie rider on Saxo Bank’s team in this year’s Giro?

A. Luke Roberts
B. Jonathan Cantwell
C. David Tanner

28. Who has won the most ‘Maglia Rosa’s (leader’s jerseys), with 76?

A. Alfredo Binda
B. Eddy Merckx
C. Fausto Coppi

29. The winner of the famous 1988 Passo di Gavia stage in the snow was…?

A. Erik Breukink
B. Andy Hampsten
C. Greg LeMond

30. True or False? Greg LeMond joined Andy Hampsten as the two US winners of the Giro

Aussie Bazza

Well, that’s embarrassing! I know very few of these :(
http://www.chromaticdramatic.com/ Chromatic Dramatic

Not sure if you’re wanting people to post answers, but here is a crack at them (with no googling)

1 –A

2 – B

3 – C

4 –C

5 –A???

6 – B

7 – C

8 –C

9 – A

10 – A???

11 –B

12 – B (or is it C)

13 – B

14 – A ????

15 – B

16 – A

17 – B???

18 – A

19 – A

20 – B

21 – B

22 – B

23 – Cadel Evans Robbie McEwen Baden Cooke Matt Wilson Phil
Anderson ???

24 – Sven Tuft & Christian Meier

25 – B

26 – C

27 – C

29 – B???

30 – False

Now to go out and find out some of the answers.
http://twitter.com/ankush83 Ankush Agarwal

did fairly bad on the knowledge of Aussie riders in Giro. Gotta do better
jules

off the top of my head:1A2B,D3C4C5A6B7B8B9A10A11B12B13B14B15A16A17A18A19A20A21C22B23 matt lloyd, robbie mcewen, dave mckenzie, cadel evans24 sven tuft, 25 eddie merckx, fausto coppi, gino bartoli?26B27A28C29B (i’m impressed with myself being able to remember this off the top of my head)30 false - Lemond never won it?
- jules
  
  1A
  2B,D
  3C
  4C
  5A
  6B
  7B
  8B
  9A
  10A
  11B
  12B
  13B
  14B
  15A
  16A
  17A
  18A
  19A
  20A
  21C
  22B
  23 matt lloyd, robbie mcewen, dave mckenzie, cadel evans
  24 sven tuft,
  25 eddie merckx, fausto coppi, gino bartoli?
  26B
  27A
  28C
  29B (i’m impressed with myself being able to remember this off the top of my head)
  30 false - Lemond never won it?
  - jules
    
    23 & heinrich haussler, although riding for ze germans at the time
    - Hipster
      
      Sorry, it’s 29 I’m talking about. The legend doesn’t quite match up to the records. A PDM rider won the stage.
      - jules
        
        breukink?
  - Abdu
    
    Don’t get too excited, ‘cos you’re wrong… D’oh
http://www.littlepeople.id.au Chris Little

Hope the lady in the photo wasn’t holding anything breakable. She seems to have dropped it.
- jules
  
  i didn’t notice
BC

23: Lloyd, Gerrans, Lancaster, McGee, Evans, McEwen, Goss, McKenzie
Wish I was on the bike…

Q23 Russell vanHout and aussie team mate…???? His name will come to me…???
also
Stephen Hodge
- Hipster
  
  Nope and nope.
  
  Just a bit before Hodgey though. Taswegian…
  - Wish I was on the bike…
    
    Mmmm. You’re correct. I’d better read the question better next time :-)
- http://twitter.com/PaulJAubrey Paul Aubrey
  
  Is Trent Wilson the name that escapes you?
  - guest
    
    Yep, that’d be it (though still not a correct answer to the question).
Notso Swift

OK so I used word and typed the answers blind without seeing
what others have written, as a result I expect a lot to be wrong, but at least
I know what I don’t know!

1 a, 2 a+b, 3c, 4c, 5 a, but it was rope I thought, 6 b, 7 b?,
8 b, 9 a, 10 a, 11 b, 12 b, 13 b, 14 a, 15 a, 16, a, 17 a? 18 a, 19 b, 20 a, 21
say a, but I know it is more than anyone else! 22 I actually thought it was 13,
but 12 is the closest so b, 23 McGee, Lancaster, McEwan, Goss, Lloyd, Gerrans,
McKenzie, Evans, Michael Wilson (learnt that on CyclingTips!), that is all I can think of (and probably wrong!) but 9 is a good effort! 24, Tuft and the Time Trial guy who’s name is ? 25
Merckx and Coppi, 26 b, 27 b, Tanner got sick but was scheduled but was pulled,
28 b, 29 trick question everyone remembers Andy’s heroics break over the pass
and into Pink but it was a, Breukink, 30 False,
- Notso Swift
  
  1 a,
  2 a+b,
  3c,
  4c,
  5 a, but it was rope I thought,
  6 b,
  7 b?,
  8 b,
  9 a,
  10 a,
  11 b,
  12 b,
  13 b,
  14 a,
  15 a,
  16, a,
  17 a?
  18 a,
  19 b,
  20 a,
  21 say a, but I know it is more than anyone else!
  22 I actually thought it was 13, but 12 is the closest so b,
  23 McGee, Lancaster, McEwan, Goss, Lloyd, Gerrans, McKenzie, Evans, Michael Wilson (learnt that on CyclingTips!), that is all I can think of (and probably wrong!) but 9 is a good effort!
  24, Tuft and the Time Trial guy who’s name is ?
  25 Merckx and Coppi,
  26 b,
  27 b, Tanner was scheduled but was pulled because he got sick
  28 b,
  29 trick question everyone remembers Andy’s heroics break over the pass and into Pink but it was a, Breukink,
  30 False
  
  Changing the format, because it was too messy - I would also like to thank Norbs for Question 5, as he posted it in is HTFU blog the other day ;-)
  Looking forward to the Banyule Cycling Giro Launch party sweep draw tomorrow night!
Anonymous

Re Q2: It’s Farnese Vini, as in Palazzo Farnese, which is mentioned in Scarpia’s rollcall in Tosca. There you go, wine and opera in one sentence.
http://profile.yahoo.com/TMFIH2T2VMXUUZYJVNLX6EETJ4 Andrew

this is for you…
which is the name of the italian actress in the main photos of this post?!?!
- Anonymous
  
  What’s her phone number, more like!
- In Love
  
  Cristiana Capotondi

CYCLINGTIPS ON INSTAGRAM

PROUDLY SUPPORTING

Giro d’Italia Quiz!

May 04, 2012

Jamie Jowett | Photography by RCS Sport

CYCLINGTIPS ON INSTAGRAM

PROUDLY SUPPORTING

Giro d’Italia Quiz!

May 04, 2012

Jamie Jowett | Photography by RCS Sport

Related articles: