The spring classics are behind us and today begins the long season of the grand tours, with Australian Brad McGee winning today's prologue of the Giro d'Italia.

Get out your bottles of Valpolicella or Barolo or Chianti or whatever the hell you like to drink, settle in for three weeks of suspense, spaghetti, and stunning Dolomite mountains, and place your bets on which stage the Italian mafia police will raid this or that team and arrest this or that rider for high crimes against civilized sport performance enhancing substance use.

I'll make cycling fans of you all yet!