The Giro d'Italia is getting crazy with the social media this year. If you aren't following them over on Twitter @giroditalia, what are you waiting for? This week, the Giro has announced a contest, Be the Next Fighter. Fun with social media, Giro stylie!

The contest runs from 21 November through 28 November and invites fans of the Giro to submit photos of themselves to the Giro d'Italia Facebook page. Fifteen fans will make the first cut, and a vote will determine the three finalists.

The winner of the voting will represent the Giro d'Italia in its advertising efforts, and the Giro will announce the "Pink Fighter" on 15 December. The campaign is part of the Giro's effort to reach out to fans through social media. Earlier this fall, the Giro invited the tifosi to vote on the race's Queen Stage that includes the Passo Stelvio and the Passo di Mortirolo.

The 2012 Giro d'Italia begins in Herning, Denmark on 5 May 2012 and concludes in Milano on 27 May.

The Giro d'Italia is doing fun with the Twitter. The race organizers are collecting twitters from the riders and tifosi during the month of September. Then, they will hold a vote, and the best messsages will be printed on the Real Life Maglia Rosa at the 2012 Giro d'Italia. Who said Twitter was useless?

"Tweet your Maglia Rosa" in fact born with the aim to involve our fans to tell what arouse in them the story, the passion and emotions of Maglia Rosa. The most beautiful tweets will become an integral part of the symbol of leadership and will be printed inside.

Want to play? Simply send a message @giroditalia with the hashtag #magliarosa. If you don't have a Twitter account, you can always get one just for the contest. Then, abandon it, but that sounds kind of mean and stuff. Poor, lonely Twitter account.

So far, I think I like David Millar's entry best.

David Millar made good on his threat to notch a stage win, and nothing else of consequence changed today as Alberto Contador rode home to victory in the 2011 Giro d'Italia.

Movistar's Vasil Kiryienka broke away from the favorites and held on over the massive Colle delle Finestre and the final climb to Sestriere to win the 20th stage of the Giro d'Italia alone, well ahead of any pursuers. The victory was bittersweet for Movistar, which wasn't a big factor in the Giro and suffered the tragic death of teammate Xavier Tondo in a domestic accident earlier this week. In an emotional scene, Kiryienka dedicated his victory today to his lost teammate. Back in among the top GC riders, Joaquim Rodriguez and John Gadret made up a bit of time, while Roman Kreuziger and Vincenzo Niabli lost a bit, but the battle for the pink jersey was long over and the battle for the remaining positions will be settled in tomorrow's time trial, with no big changes today. Steven Kruijswijk of Rabobank made a play for the white jersey today when Kreuziger was dropped on the Finestre, but Kreuziger descended impressively and cemented his position as the best young rider in this year's Giro.

1. Vasil Kiryienka, Movistar
2. Jose Rujano, Androni, at 4.43
3. Joaquim Rodriguez, Katusha, at 4.48
4. Carlos Betancourt, Acqua e Sapone, at 5.31
5. John Gadret, AG2R, at 5.54
6. Michele Scarponi, Lampre, at 5.58
7. Steven Kruiswijk, Rabobank, s.t.
8. Alberto Contador, Saxo Bank, s.t.
9. Denis Menchov, Geox, s.t.
10. Roman Kreuziger, Astana, at 6.18
11. Vincenzo Nibali, Liquigas, at 6.20

Current GC:

1. Contador
2. Scarponi, at 5.18
3. Nibali, at 6.14
4. Gadret, at 7.49
5. Rodriguez, at 9.27
6. Rujano, at 10.23
7. Kreuziger, at 10.38
8. Menchov, at 10.51
9. Kruijswijk, at 12.56
10. Mikel Nieve, Euskaltel, at 12.57

Yesterday in San Pellegrino Terme, I ran into Eddy Merckx in the cafe outside the stage headquarters, and he graciously agreed to answer a few questions.  Unfortunately, it's a bit difficult to hear what Eddy says, since the cafe was playing some cheesy music, and Eddy speaks very quickly.

On the plus side, every stupid thing I said comes through loud and clear.  (Lowlight: Eddy says he remembers the 1968 Giro because it was his first grand tour win, but says the 1969 Tour was the best memory of his career, and then I ask if that's because the "69 Tour was his first grand tour win.  Ugh!  First Tour de France win, I meant to say).  Ah well, if I deep sixed every interview in which I sound stupid, I wouldn't be able to post any interviews at all ;-)

Grande Finale!

The Giro d’Italia comes at last to its climbing finale with this stage running from Verbania to Sestrière. The first 190 kilometers are flat, but don’t let the profile fool you. The Colle delle Finestre, with its steep gradients and gravel roads, awaits. Just as it did in 2005, the Giro pairs the Finestre with the climb from Cesana to Sestrière. The finishing climb follows directly after the long, sinuous descent off the Finestre, and offers one last chance for the climbers to play for a moment of glory in this Giro d’Italia.

From Susa, the Colle delle Finestre climbs 19 kilometers, mostly on gravel roads. It’s a relentless climb with gradients in the 9%-10% range. Near the summit, the road unwinds in a series of steep switchbacks. There is nothing easy about this one. In 2005, three riders crossed the summit together, as the rest of the race splintered into small groups. Here is a video preview of the Colle delle Finestre.

From Cesana to the finish in Sestrière, it’s 11.5 kilometers of climbing. After the Finestre, it would be easy to underestimate this finishing climb, but it has sections of 7% and 9% gradients along the way. At the end of a long stage, it’ll leave a mark. There’s plenty of road from the summit of the Colle delle Finestre to the finish in Sestrière for the race to turn over completely. In 2005, Paolo Savoldelli, with the help of a few friends, rode himself back into the race on the road to Sestrière and won the Giro d’Italia.

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Astana's Paolo Tiralongo survived a lone break on the climb to Macungana to win stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia, thanks in large part to the benificence of his ex-teammate Alberto Contador. Tiralongo made it alone up the final climb to within 700 meters of the line, but a series of attacks behind him among the GC leaders eventually drew out the maglia rosa, who caught and dropped Joaquim Rodriguez, John Gadret, and the day's other pugilists in yet another devastating acceleration. Contador motored on up to Tiralongo, but then slowed down, exchanging some words, after which the soon-to-be-Giro winner led his ex-mate to the line and passively watched Tiralongo take the stage. Stage gifts are a custom in cycling, and Tiralongo is a worthy recipient, having been on his own for some 5+ km on the last climb. Contador is a worthy gift-giver too, with plenty of wins to his name and Tiralongo not being a rival to whom gifts maybe shouldn't be given.

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The Giro d’Italia continues its westward track across Northern Italy with this 209 kilometer stage between Bergamo and Macugnaga. Mountaintop finish! The stage passes over the Mottarone and finishes at 1360 meters on the Macugnaga.

The Mottarone is classic northern Italian climbing. It runs 10.5 kilometers and hits gradients in the 10%-12% range. Grupetto! Are there any sprinters left in this Giro? Anyway, they won’t like this climb. The Mottarone summits with 70 kilometers left to race. It will force a selection and shrink the field, but there is still a long way to go to the finish.

Twenty kilometers of mostly flat racing follow the long descent off the Mottarone, and some riders who have lost the plot on the Mottarone may prove able to return to the field. The good times won’t last long. The final 30 kilometers of the stage are uphill from Piedimulera to the finish in Macugnaga, which hosts its first ever Giro stage finish.

The finishing climb to Macugnaga starts with a steep wall in the first 2 kilometers. Then, the gradients mellow out, and it’s a steady grind to the top. At 3 kilometers to race, the gradients tilt up to 7%, and offer the perfect launch-pad for a race-winning move. The road to Macugnaga is not the most difficult climb of the Giro, but it should offer plenty of opportunity for an ambitious rider to give the race a good shake.

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