With the 2013 Tour de France a little more than a month away, the world's best cyclists are honing their skills in the 2013 Giro D'Italia. While the "Corsa Rosa" may not be as prestigious or well-known as the Tour de France, it is certainly one of the premier events in cycling.
Things have played out largely as expected through 11 stages, but there are still 10 stages to go and a lot can change. Italian star Vincenzo Nibali has the lead in his home event; however, elite athletes such as Cadel Evans, Rigoberto Uran Uran and Bradley Wiggins are in hot pursuit.
Keep reading to take in everything you need to know about the Giro D'Italia, including current standings, stage results, upcoming stages and what to watch for as the race continues.
Nibali has long been a strong performer at the Giro D'Italia, but a victory has always eluded him. The 28-year-old Italian finished second to countryman Michele Scarponi in 2011 and came in third the year before. He currently holds a fairly commanding 41-second lead, so as long as he stays within himself and doesn't make any big mistakes, he should be in good shape.
While Nibali hasn't won a stage throughout the race, he has been consistent at every turn. The key for Nibali is remaining part of the lead pack so that he maintains his lead and doesn't allow any of his pursuers to draw closer. There is still a lot of racing left to do, but Nibali is clearly in ideal position right now.
Australian cyclist Cadel Evans is one of the most popular figures in the sport due in part to his 2011 Tour de France victory, and he is very much in the hunt in the Giro D'Italia. Evans is currently in second place, and he may very well be the only person with a realistic chance to catch Nibali. According to online betting guru Tom Waterhouse, Evans would be the oldest Giro D'Italia winner at age 36.
If Evans is going to stand atop the podium, however, he has some work to do. Nibali has a comfortable cushion at the moment and will need to falter in order for Evans to gain ground. Crashes are fairly commonplace in cycling, so perhaps Evans will be the beneficiary of a wreck involving Nibali. If not, Evans will need a superhuman effort.
British cycling star Bradley Wiggins entered the Giro D'Italia as the favorite, but things haven't quite gone according to plan for him. Last year was a banner one for Wiggins, as he won the Tour de France and captured a gold medal in the London Olympics as well. Wiggins has fallen off a bit in the Giro D'Italia, as he is now in fourth, but his health probably has something to do with it, according to Sky Sports Cycling.
Wiggins is arguably the best cyclist in the world. However, it has to be extremely difficult to traverse such an arduous course while feeling ill. A healthy Wiggins could potentially overcome the deficit that he faces, but with a chest infection plaguing him, don't expect him to challenge Nibali for the title.
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