Giro D'Italia 2016: Stage 1 Results, Overall Standings and Highlights
Giant Alpecin’s Tom Dumoulin leads the way after Day 1 of the 2016 Giro d’Italia, as he pipped Primoz Roglic by just 0.01 seconds in the individual time trial.
The 99th edition of this illustrious event got under way on Friday in the Dutch city of Apeldoorn, with a 9.8-kilometre dash for the riders to negotiate first up.
It was Dumoulin who showed his pace on the first of three days in the Netherlands, snatching top spot and the Maglia Rosa from the LottoNL-Jumbo rider with a time of 11 minutes and three seconds.
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Of the men set to battle for the general classification, favourite Vincenzo Nibali stole a few seconds on his rivals. The Astana Pro rider was 16th overall, five seconds ahead of Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde and 21 seconds up on Team Sky’s Mikel Landa, two men also set to be in the hunt come the end of the tour.
| 1 | Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Giant-Alpecin | 0:11:03 |
| 2 | Primoz Roglic (Slo) LottoNL-Jumbo | +0:00:00 |
| 3 | Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar Team | +0:00:06 |
| 4 | Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Giant-Alpecin | +0:00:08 |
| 5 | Marcel Kittel (Ger) Etixx-QuickStep | +0:00:11 |
| 6 | Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale | +0:00:12 |
| 7 | Bob Jungels (Lux) Etixx-QuickStep | +0:00:13 |
| 8 | Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Trek-Segafredo | +0:00:14 |
| 9 | Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling | +0:00:14 |
| 10 | Silvan Dillier (Swi) BMC Racing Team | +0:00:16 |
Here are the results from Stage 1, courtesy of Cycling News.
Dumoulin Takes Narrow Win in Stage 1
With many hundreds of kilometres to negotiate over many peaks in the Giro, a 9.8-kilometre time trial may seem a little insignificant to get this event under way. But the early exchanges can often be so vital for all riders challenging in all facets.
That includes the general classification. Nibali, who is the big favourite for this title, has taken time out of key rivals on Day 1 previously in other tours, and he was out to do so again as he negotiated this testing stint in the Netherlands.
The Sicilian, who looked to be riding conservatively, showed his versatility to take five seconds off Valverde and an impressive 21 seconds on Landa. It’s an advantage that will give Nibali, the 2013 Giro champion, a little boost with some more testing runs to come.
Cycling journalist Michael Hutchinson took plenty from these initial exchanges, expressing concerns about Landa’s credentials:
However, speaking afterwards, Landa was pretty buoyed by his efforts.
“This was one of the time trials that worried me: short, flat and difficult,” he said, per Cycling News. “I thought I could have lost more time. I felt quite good. I’m a bit tired but quite happy with my result.”
Day 1 was always going to be about the more dynamic riders, though, with the prestige of taking the Maglia Rosa on the podium up for grabs.
The early pace was set by Giant Alpecin’s Tobias Ludvigsson, who posted an impressive mark of 11:11 to top the standings. But there was still plenty of big names to follow, including Dumoulin, who had the backing of the Dutch crowd in Apeldoorn.
Roglic looked as though he was going to be the man adorning the iconic pink jersey at one stage, posting 11:03, six seconds clear of Movistar’s Andrey Amador. But as we can see here courtesy of Eurosport UK TV, the Dumoulin gave it everything to pip the leader by the narrowest of margins in the final knockings of the time trial:
"Dumoulin of @GiantAlpecin sets the fastest time! Will he don the maglia rosa in his home country? #homeofcycling https://t.co/v4ROVNAUUS
— Eurosport UK TV (@EurosportUKTV) May 6, 2016"
“I didn’t do my best TT but I also didn’t do my worst,” said the Giant Alpecin rider afterwards, per Cycling News. “I didn’t really do a mistake, but I would have liked to have been a bit faster but in the end, the result is all that counts and I did it.”
As noted by sports journalist Teddy Cutler, so quick was Dumoulin he was catching Landa, who had set off before him:
It’s always fascinating to run the rule over riders early on, although the opening day did only offer us a glimpse into who is in shape to push for glory in the Giro. Nibali will be delighted to have built up a slender advantage so early on, though.
Stage 2 will pose a completely different kind of test for the competitors, with a flat 190-kilometre run from Arnheim to Nijmegen. It’s a stint that may see the riders exposed to windy conditions and seems tailor-made for a dramatic bunch-sprint finish. Marcel Kittel, riding for Etixx–Quick-Step, will be very tough to beat.
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