▁favor ites ▁ ▁The ▁G iro ▁was ▁often ▁described ▁as ▁being ▁wide ▁open ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁who ▁had ▁the ▁best ▁chance ▁to ▁win ▁it . ▁This ▁is ▁because ▁many ▁notable ▁rid ers , ▁including ▁the ▁past ▁three ▁champions , ▁did ▁not ▁enter . ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁G iro ▁d ' Italia ▁champion ▁Dan ilo ▁Di ▁Lu ca , ▁who ▁originally ▁finished ▁second ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁G iro ▁d ' Italia , ▁was ▁susp ended ▁by ▁his ▁national ▁feder ation ▁in ▁February ▁for ▁a ▁do ping ▁incident ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁G iro . ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁G iro ▁d ' Italia ▁champion ▁Alberto ▁Cont ador ▁ski pped ▁the ▁G iro ▁to ▁better ▁focus ▁on ▁the ▁Tour ▁de ▁France , ▁as ▁he ▁also ▁had ▁in ▁the ▁previous ▁season . ▁After ▁first ▁indicating ▁that ▁he ▁might ▁defend ▁his ▁championship , ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁champion ▁Den is ▁Men ch ov ▁also ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁not ▁ride ▁the ▁G iro , ▁instead ▁foc using ▁on ▁the ▁Tour ▁de ▁France , ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁complete ▁the ▁career ▁swe ep ▁of ▁the ▁Grand ▁T ours . ▁L ance ▁Arm strong ▁and ▁Le vi ▁Leip heimer , ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁ ▁squad ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁G iro , ▁announced ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁that ▁they ▁would ▁ride ▁the ▁partially ▁concurrent ▁Tour ▁of ▁California ▁instead ▁of ▁the ▁G iro , ▁which ▁is ▁why ▁ ▁was ▁not ▁selected ▁for ▁the ▁G