un Gran Bel Giro, indeed!

May is my favorite month. The end of a long school year is finally in sight. With long hours of sunlight and mild morning temperatures that allow one to leave the wind vest--and maybe even the arm and knee warmers--at home, the bike riding is rarely better in Southern California. And here in the states, the baseball and major-league soccer seasons are in full swing, while the various European soccer championships are reaching their climax. (And what a dramatic final this year in the Champions League!) But best of all is the Giro d'Italia. Three weeks set aside for sheer celebration of cycling and all the wonderful local and regional colors of the Italian landscape and its peoples, all of which is still remarkably free from the big-money commercialism that has overwhelmed the Tour de France. And with the inclusion of a star-studded ProTour field this year, including a stellar list of Italian greats both young and old, the racing has been absolutely riveting from day one. While il Falco, Paolo Salvodelli, just may have sewn up today his second Giro win with an appropriately screaming descent on the TT into Torino, he has several challengers still lingering in the shadows. And the truly epic route through the Alps that the Giro organizers have saved for Saturday's penulimate stage promises to make this one truly for the ages. Can a resurgent Ivan Basso win a third straight stage, punctuating his recovery from last week's stomach problems? Can Cunego spring Simoni to GC victory on the dirt "road" up the Finestre? Will the young Venezuelan Rujano provide an upset to this all-Italian party no less shocking than the rossoneri's mid-week, second-half choke against Liverpool? Will DiLuca claw his way back to what would be a remarkable podium finish in Milan, perhaps permanently affixing the first ProTour's white jersey to his back for good? Or will Salvodelli's two-minute cushion be just enough for him to hold on, with little support from his Discovery Channel teammates, to the maglia rosa. If ever there was reason to stay home in front of the TV (thank you, RAI International) on a Saturday morning, this is it. And I'll still have the rest of the holiday weekend to ride, grade papers, and have fun with the family. Yes, May is the sweetest month of all.