Hamilton: "I want to be the second American to win the Giro."

The American Tyler Hamilton, of the Danish CSC Tiscali team, is optimistic and confident of his ability to become the second American rider to win the Giro d'Italia. It was of course Andrew Hampsten who scored America's first and only major success in the Giro, in the 1988 edition.

"My victory in the race against the clock in Numana was not by luck. I had previously inspected the circuit just as I have also visited the forthcoming stages in the Dolomites this winter. I went with my bicycle, my woman and my dog in the car," clarified a euphoric Hamilton.

The American cyclist stressed, "I am not scared of the two up coming hard stages. It just depends on a little luck. You can easily have a bad day, because of a fall or sickness, but at the moment I am full of form."

With respect to its main rivals Hamilton said, "There is not much to separate anybody. Everyone seems fit and in good form and anything can happen. In the next two days, three or four minutes could easily be won or lost. Of the remaining favourites all are dangerous especially Escartín, Frigo and the Australian Evans who has been the revelation of the race. It is a very open race and no team has managed to dominate it."

Regarding Armstrong, his friend and teacher, Hamilton says that he has not spoken with his "professor" and neighbour, Lance Armstrong, winner of the last three editions of the Tour of France. "I owe much to him. For six years I rode for him as a team mate. When I received the offer from the CSC team I asked his advice. He told me not to waste the opportunity since I was to be one of the team leaders."

"Proof of our friendship is that we share the same apartment block in the Spainish city of Gerona. He lives on the second floor and I on the first. In addition our women are friends and he and I usually train together."

31 year old Hamilton says the happiest moments of his life are while racing and yet he "came to cycling by accident. Before cycling I used to ski a great deal, but I had an accident which damaged my back. I took a year out but was still having trouble. The doctors advised to me to take up cycling, and since then, from 1995, I started to take it seriously, especially after I won the university championship."

Thanks to Marca.Com

Andy Hampsten

Andy Hampsten first became noticed in 1984 when he made the US Olympic team. He rode exclusively for 7-Eleven and its spin off, the Motorola team, and he gained an awesome reputation for his toughness and his ability as a climber. He twice won the Tour de Suisse (1986 and 1987) but is best remembered for his victory in the 1988 Giro d'Italia; in particular, his epic ride over the Gavia Pass which secured him the pink jersey. In a blinding snowstorm, with freezing conditions and dangerous road surfaces he and Eric Breaukink broke clear of the field, which was decimated by the conditions. Even today, riders who finished that legendary stage have a unique bond when they meet.

Four years later, in 1992, Hampsten was back in the headlines when he won the Alpe d'Huez stage of the Tour de France. He retired at the age of 34, in 1996, and now runs a cycle firm in the USA, while spending an equal amount of time in his Tuscan home in Italy, close to the village where Paolo Bettini grew up.