At the presentation of the 2013 Giro d'Italia route on Sunday in Milan, the race director Michele Acquarone said of the Italian Grand Tour, "It's a love story between fans and their champions."
In this video, five champion cyclists who've animated recent Giri comment on what makes the race special as well as analyse pivotal stages of next year's edition.
Included in the video are four general classification contenders - defending champion Ryder Hesjedal, 2008 champion Alberto Contador plus podium finishers Vincenzo Nibali and Joaquim Rodriguez - as well as perennial stage winner and points classification hopeful Mark Cavendish.
Contador, Rodriguez and Hesjedal all point to the penultimate stage that finishes on Tre Cime di Lavaredo as the Giro's critical day while Cavendish speaks about his goal of adding a first Giro points classification jersey to his palmares after coming so close in 2012.
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