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Giro d’Italia 2014 team presentation

Posted by on May 8, 2014

It seems you can't swing a dead cat in Belfast this week without hitting something Giro related. It's fantastic! Every storefront, every street corner, every person is decked out in pink.

 
After an extremely anxious 90 minutes online last month, I was able to secure 2 free tickets to tonight's Giro team presentation held at Belfast's City Hall. Neither of my friends were able to attend, so I had the chance to repay some of the enormous generosity I've experienced from the cycling community and gave my extra ticket to a keen fan who had traveled from England.
 
I spent a good few hours in the queue before fans were allowed onto the City Hall grounds. As usual, the hours passed quickly as I made friends with the guys in line with me. Also as usual, I got interviewed, this time by a local radio station.
 
When the gates opened, we all dashed to the front of the stage. The set up didn't look like it would result in any autographs, so I was happy enough just to be front and center.
 
Even though this is Northern Ireland, the race is at all times extremely Italian. Case in point: the trophy and the 4 leaders' jerseys were introduced to the crowd by leggy models wearing unbelievable heels and sashaying up the ramp like it was fashion week in Milan.

 

The teams! First up: Lotto Belisol.

 

The amazingly yellow shoes of Italian team Neri Sottoli deserve a special mention.

 

High fives from Team Colombia.

 

Europcar.

 

Perrig Quemeneur coming in for a high five.

 

Androni Giacattoli-Venezuela.

 

Belkin.

 

Trek Factory Racing.

 

I love it when they put the shortest guy next to the tallest guy.

 

Italian road champion Ivan Santaromita and Orica GreenEdge.

 

AG2R.

 

Bardiani CSF (this photo is an example of what happens when I multi task).

 

A familiar smile and a high five from Lampre's Winner Anacona.

 

FDJ.

 

Giant.

 
I can't quite tell if Simon Geschke really is that small or if the rest of the team really is that big.
 
The crowd loved Marcel Kittel and he loved the crowd.

 

Tinkoff Saxo.

 

Thunderous applause for Irishman Nicholas Roche. Roche's father won the Giro in 1987, as the emcee was quick to remind him.

 

The photographers went into hyperdrive for Team Sky.

 

Bernie Eisel and Edvald Boasson-Hagen.

 

Irishman Phil Deignan.

 

Elia Viviani of Cannondale.

 

Ivan Basso.

 

Garmin!

 

I won't pretend to be unbiased, but the Garmin boys were by far the happiest and most relaxed team on stage all night. They were taking photos and elbowing each other in the ribs to share a joke the entire time. Seeing a whole team soaking in the atmosphere like this and laughing so easily together is one of the things that make me throw my support behind a team and Garmin's riders, no matter who is on the start list, are always goofing off. I love it. Below: Thomas Dekker and Tyler Farrar, amateur photographers.

 

Ryder Hesjedal, Andre Cardoso, Thomas Dekker, and Tyler Farrar share a laugh.

 

Dylan Van Baarle makes Fabian Wegmann laugh.

 

The final Irishman of the night, Dan Martin, got a wave of cheers when he rode on stage. Even better, his teammates, especially Hesjedal, all had the biggest grins when they saw Martin's reception. That's what it is to be a team.

 

Hesjedal and the trophy he won in 2012.

 

Astana.

 

Omega Pharma-Quick Step.

 

Rigoberto Uran and his Go Pro.

 

Uran, eyeing the trophy.

 

BMC.

 

Cadel Evans was as happy as I've seen him outside of Australia.

 

Katusha.

 

Joaquim Rodriguez.

 

Movistar.

 

I almost didn't recognize Nairo Quintana. Through the Tour de France last year, he was all business and seriousness. I don't remember him cracking a smile once. But tonight? He was waving and high fiving, smiling like he'd already won the Giro!

 

When the emcee asked him a softball question, Quintana enthusiastically replied that he came here to win.

 

When the Lord Mayor of Belfast and other VIPs lowered the flag to officially open the 97th edition of the Giro d'Italia…

 

…the sky filled with pink confetti and balloons, as if the world's biggest bottle of Pepto Bismol had just exploded.

 

After the main event, there were performances by an opera singer, break dancers, and BMX riders, but this guy (who I can only assume is Flava Flav's Northern Irish cousin) stole the show for me.

 

 

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