The ancient city of Verona was host to stage four of the 2012 Giro.
                                Photo" Bettini
 
After the cool north sea weather of Denmark, the Giro d'Italia flew home to warm spring skies in Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet.  On a warm and humid Wednesday, the Giro gruppo confronted a fast Team Time Test over 32.2km out & back along the Adige River valley, the 20th time the Giro has included a Team Time Trial stage.
 
Magila Rosa Taylor Phinney had a rough day at the office after his ankle injury incurred in the Stage 3 and when Garmin-Barracuda took the stage win, phenom Phinney lost his pink tunic to by 13" to virtually unknown Lithuanian rider Navardauskas of Garmin. But Italian TV called Phinney 'bravissimo" and at 21, the classy young Yank will be hear from again in this years Giro d'Italia.
 

Euskaltel-Euskadi's sports director Alvaro Gonzalez de Galdeano told Road Bike Action that they were sorry to lose Igor Anton to a crash at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, and hopes 27 year old Basque rider Mikel Nieve, winner of  Stage 15 to Gardeccia in last year's Giro. "Nieve is a strong rider and we think he can have a good Giro. Last year we took two stages and that is another goal for us this year."


Garmin-Barracuda's Cervelo P4 time machines ready to do battle in Verona.


Garmin-Barracuda's head mechanic Geoff Brown is one of the most experienced mechanics in the business. Here the always laid-back Canadian prepares tape for the disc wheels to isolate the valves during the race.


Big Gustav-Erik Larsson rode this enormous Bianchi TT bike, equipped with FSA’s new Vision Metreon time trial groupset. First revealed at last years trade shows, Metron includes aero bar end shifters carbon fiber front and rear derailleurs and carbon cranks.


Vision Metreon time trial carbon crankset has a stout and stiff profile.
 

Vision Metreon time trial carbon rear derailleur
 

Ag2r-La Mondiale’s pocket climber John-John Gadret is looking for a big performance at this year’s Giro. Ag2r’s sport director Laurent Bioni told Road Bike Action that “even if John had a slow start this season, he is in better form this year than last year. Watch out for him in the mountains in the last week.”
 

Gadret’s teammate Hubert Dupont, Ag2r-La Mondiale’s other pocket climber is certainly no TT specialist, but his Reynolds RZR 92 wheels, designed by carbon wheel genius Paul Lew helped the little French grimpeur limit his damage in the TTT.


Canyon Bicycle officially launched their fast new TT bike, the Speedmax
Evo that Katusha Team rode to a fine runner-up spot in the TTT, just 5” behind Garmin-Barracuda. Look for a full in-depth report on the new Canyon TT rig later this week on Roadbikeaction.Com.
 

Valentino Campagnolo shows off his eponymous EPS groupset on this Movistar Pinarello Dogma. Based in Vicenza just 50km east of Verona, Mr. Campagnolo was clearly glad to get out of the office for the afternoon to watch the Giro and he told Road Bike Action "we are very happy at the initial success of our Electronic Power Shifting groupset. And it is great to see it in the Giro 'Italia, so close to our headquarters." Mr Campagnolo was in an extra good mood when we met him in Verona, as he was very proud to tell us he had recently become a "nono" (grandfather).