Despite containing one of the race's favourites, Gilberto Simoni, the Saunier Duval team has not lit up the Giro so far. The yellow-clad Spanish squad has rarely been out of the action, but its best finish has been Leonardo Piepoli's sixth place in stage eight. The team's strategy has appeared to be to limit its losses in the first phase of the race, and keep Simoni positioned to attack in the second.
After stage 10, Simoni is in eighth overall, and three minutes and twenty seconds down on race leader Ivan Basso (CSC). Simoni's directeur sportif Pietro Algeri said in a team newsletter Tuesday that as far as he in concerned the real race starts after today's rest day.
