crossjunkee
05-24-2006, 09:00 AM
Now this is impressive!
Water-carriers battle in the Giro
Cycling is traditionally divided into stars and water-carriers and
while
battle rages at the top of the Giro d'Italia rankings between stars
such as
Ivan Basso, José Gutierrez and Paolo Savoldelli, a literal contest
among
water-carriers has been going on further back.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport Quick-Step's José Antonio Garrido
recently set a new record by carrying 16 water bottles simultaneously
from
the team car to his team-mates. With one bottle in his mouth, two in
the
cages on the bike, two in his pockets, six under the front of his
jersey,
and five under the back, Garrido lugged over five litres of water to
his
team-mates.
In yesterday's stage, Fabio Sacchi (Milram) beat Garrido's record by
carrying 18 water bottles simultaneously, but Garrido thinks he can
beat the
Italian. "I've already done a test, and think I can manage 20 bottles,"
he
said.
There's more than just bragging rights at stake too. At the end of the
Giro
on Sunday, Italian cycling legend Francesco Moser will present a prize
to
the man who manages to carry the most bottles: a bottle of wine for
each of
the bottles carried. "It will be a kind of miracle: water will be
turned
into wine!" said Moser.
Water-carriers battle in the Giro
Cycling is traditionally divided into stars and water-carriers and
while
battle rages at the top of the Giro d'Italia rankings between stars
such as
Ivan Basso, José Gutierrez and Paolo Savoldelli, a literal contest
among
water-carriers has been going on further back.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport Quick-Step's José Antonio Garrido
recently set a new record by carrying 16 water bottles simultaneously
from
the team car to his team-mates. With one bottle in his mouth, two in
the
cages on the bike, two in his pockets, six under the front of his
jersey,
and five under the back, Garrido lugged over five litres of water to
his
team-mates.
In yesterday's stage, Fabio Sacchi (Milram) beat Garrido's record by
carrying 18 water bottles simultaneously, but Garrido thinks he can
beat the
Italian. "I've already done a test, and think I can manage 20 bottles,"
he
said.
There's more than just bragging rights at stake too. At the end of the
Giro
on Sunday, Italian cycling legend Francesco Moser will present a prize
to
the man who manages to carry the most bottles: a bottle of wine for
each of
the bottles carried. "It will be a kind of miracle: water will be
turned
into wine!" said Moser.