Basso owns the Giro lock, stock, and barrel

Stage 17 was shortened because of bad weather in the mountains, but the race committee might as well shorten the Grio itself, because this thing is a done deal. Basso isn't just the best rider on the course, he's in a different league. After Stage 17 he has a lead of 5:43 over 2nd place Jose Gutierrez. No one else is within 10 minutes of Basso. Savoldelli has cracked big time in the mountains and has been overtaken by Simoni for 3rd.

Basso's performance is reminscent of Lance Armstrong's most dominating TdF wins--like in 1999, 2000, and 2004. Through 17 stages here's what he's done:

He's won two climbing stages. He was second to Piepoli in two others (same time). His team won the team time trial, and in the long individual time trial, only Jan Ullrich beat him. So, on 6 stages, he's hurt every major contendor. The only chink in his armor was in the short time trial, when Savoldelli beat him by 20 seconds--and he still beat all the other contenders then too.

This is total dominance. In the past I've tempered my praise for CSC by saying they don't come away with a lot of hardware. Well, that's over now. CSC has this race by the throat. The team is driving the peloton well and putting pressure on the climbs to discourage attacks. Carlos Sastre is particularly great as a domestique in this race.

There are still a few big climbs to go, but Basso's winning this by a mile. That is, unless he gets sick.