2008 Giro d'Italia

	Overview of the stages: route from Palermo to Milan covered by the riders on the bicycle (red); and distances between stages (green).
Race details
Dates	10 May – 1 June 2008
Stages	21
Distance	3,407 km (2,117 mi)
Winning time	89h 56' 49"
Results
	Winner
	Second
	Third
	Points
	Mountains
	Youth
	Sprints
	Combativity
	Team
	Team points
	← 2007 2009 →

The 2008 Giro d'Italia was the 91st running of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. It began in Palermo on 10 May and ended in Milan on 1 June. Twenty-two teams entered the race, which was won by Spaniard Alberto Contador of the Astana cycling team. Second and third respectively were Italians Riccardo Riccò and Marzio Bruseghin.

Contador first took the race lead after the second mountain stage, to Marmolada, by finishing nearly fifteen minutes ahead of previous race leader Gabriele Bosisio. The race's overall classification had been headed for several days beforehand by Giovanni Visconti, who participated in a breakaway in the sixth stage which won him sufficient time to hold the race leader's pink jersey for more than a week. In the race's final week, Contador faced stern challenges from Riccò and defending Giro champion Danilo Di Luca. Though Contador did not win any stage, his performances were consistently strong enough to remain ahead through to the conclusion of the race.

Team CSF Group–Navigare appeared to perform quite well in the race, coming away with four stage wins and victory in the mountains classification and the Trofeo Fast Team. In August 2008, mountains classification winner Emanuele Sella was announced to have tested positive for methoxy polyethylene glycol-epoetin beta (better known as Mircera, an erythropoietin derivative) at an out-of-competition control held by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).^[1] He subsequently admitted his doping, and named teammate Matteo Priamo as his supplier.^[2] Both riders were subsequently suspended. Though as of April 2010 no definitive positive results have come to light from samples taken during the Giro, retesting of those samples has reportedly revealed six to seven presumptive positives for Mircera.^[3] Riccò, who tested positive for the drug at the 2008 Tour de France, is among those suspected of having given positive tests in the Giro, as is Sella.^[4]

^ Jeff Jones and Gregor Brown (5 August 2008). "Emmanuele Sella positive for EPO". BikeRadar.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2009.
^ Gregor Brown (25 November 2008). "Italy's anti-doping prosecutor meets with Priamo". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
^ Cycling News (30 October 2009). "2008 Giro: Six to seven possible CERA positives". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Archived from the original on 28 November 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
^ Conal Andrews (30 October 2009). "New CERA suspected from 2008 Giro, while 'undetectable' ozone doping pinpointed". VeloNation. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2009.

[selladoping-1] Jeff Jones and Gregor Brown (5 August 2008). "Emmanuele Sella positive for EPO". BikeRadar.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2009.

[supplier-2] Gregor Brown (25 November 2008). "Italy's anti-doping prosecutor meets with Priamo". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2009.

[6to7-3] Cycling News (30 October 2009). "2008 Giro: Six to seven possible CERA positives". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. Archived from the original on 28 November 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2009.

[ozone-4] Conal Andrews (30 October 2009). "New CERA suspected from 2008 Giro, while 'undetectable' ozone doping pinpointed". VeloNation. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2009.

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