the underdog

That Franco Pellizotti flew under the radar in the lead up to this year's Giro said more about the fascination with the return of Basso and Armstrong to Grand Tour action that it did about the palmares of Pellizotti. The Italian climber finished fourth in last year's Giro, ninth in 2007 and eighth in 2006 after all. But last year was his best chance of a podium finish the experts explained, a brief outing as a genuine leader, sandwiched between two stints as super-domestique for Di Luca in '07 and Basso in '09. After his solo win on Blockhaus yesterday, where he attacked with 14km of climbing still to go but managed to hold off all challenges, any gregario duties are on hold for another race, another time. Pellizotti now lies third, two minutes back from the maglia rosa of Menchov with Vesuvius still to come. His smooth style that remains even when the gradient hits double figures, when pain becomes not the overriding sensation but the only sensation, is a joy to watch. Whether it will be enough to triumph over the cool detachment of Menchov and the sheer tenacity of Di Luca remains to be seen but Pellizotti has shone during this year's Giro despite the shadow cast by Basso and for that he deserves much credit.