The 104th Giro d’Italia is well underway with three stages in the Piedmont region beginning a new race for pink. The first Grand Tour has started and on opening weekend, fans have already been treated to a powerful time trial in Turin, a flat stage for the sprinters and an unexpected surprise on Stage 3.
Filippo Ganna storms to pink in Turin
The opening time trial really wasn’t in any doubt. A flat parcours on the streets of Turin, Italy’s first capital 160 years since the country’s unification, the scene set for a head-to-head between specialists and the GC men keen to get off to a good start. Starting with a time trial means a head-on focus for time trialists and a more relaxed feeling for the sprinters. But the pressure to deliver that first pink jersey, the symbolism the maglia rosa brings to the race, the prestige it shines upon your team – that is something to really go for.
Why was Stage 1 easy to predict? In Filippo Ganna you have a pure time trialling machine who took all three TT’s at last year’s Giro, is the current world champion, and above all, he can deliver when he knows what is expected. Other contenders for pink were obviously a threat but his biggest pre-race challenger Rémi Cavagna actually didn’t get close – the Frenchman 18 seconds slower, left disappointed.
Surprises top of the board included Jumbo-Visma pairing Tobias Foss and Edoardo Affini, the Norwegian and the Italian both 13 seconds and 10 seconds slower respectively. Affini’s time looked unstoppable but in Filippo Ganna, nothing seems to stop him right now. On the TT bike he looked aggressive, the power of the man clear to see, a rider putting everything into the day to win pink. Motoring along, it was probably one the best opening time trials to have graced a Grand Tour in so many years, the Italian (indeed INEOS Grenadiers themsevles) leaving where he left off just last year.
For Filippo Ganna, he wears pink with pride. Keeping the maglia rosa is now the aim and on stages 2 and 3 he’s done exactly that. When the hills start snapping at the legs on Stage 4, the jersey may change hands. But nonetheless, to wear the pink jersey for the opening stage, being an Italian rider for your ‘home’ Grand Tour and held 160 years since the unification of Italy – it will mean a lot to Ganna. The first man since Francesco Moser in 1984 and 1985 to win back-to-back Stage 1 victories – the pink jersey is back on his shoulders.
The Jumbo-Visma gameplan
As mentioned previously, to see both Edoardo Affini and Tobias Foss for Jumbo-Visma come close to taking the pink jersey spoke volumes. Both riders are exceptionally talented, with Affini riding in Jumbo colours for the first time this year since joining from Mitchelton-Scott and in Foss, you have a rider who have won the Tour de l’Avenir and has a bright future ahead of him. Edoardo Affini is 24, Tobias Foss is 23 – what a future in both time trialling and maybe pushing for more hillier terrain to come.
We await to see how the Italian and the Norwegian do in later stages at this Giro, but for Jumbo-Visma this Giro isn’t the strongest team that cycling is used to seeing. All the focus is on Primož Roglič at the Tour, but some new found freedom for the youngsters, George Bennett targeting a good place in the GC, and in a returning Dylan Groenewegen, he did manage fourth in the Stage 2 sprint. David Dekker, who performed exceptionally at the UAE Tour back in February, looks set to be Groenewegen’s leadout man, Dekker finishing 18th in Novara, told a story in itself.
Deeper into this Giro more opportunities will present themsevles for Dylan Groenewegen, who the majority of cycling fans will be happy to see back racing after his unfortunate incident in Poland caused serious injury to Quick Step’s Fabio Jakobsen. The hatred directed at Groenewegen was uncalled for, the barriers in Poland not up to the job and he himself made a scapegoat. Great to see him back sprinting again and if he could get a stage win, then even better!
Magical sprinting by Merlier
When numerous sprinting names line-up at a Grand Tour it is often the case that an experienced head wins the day. Caleb Ewan, Giacomo Nizzolo, Fernando Gaviria, Peter Sagan and Elia Viviani are the five big names you’d expect to win big at this Giro.
But enter a man with no Grand Tour experience, a team starting their first Grand Tour too, and you have a remarkable result. Tim Merlier, the 28-year-old sprinter who is without a doubt Belgium’s fast man right now. He has already shown impressive success in his home country, winning Le Samyn, the Bredene Koksijde Classic and the Brussels Cycling Classic – not the biggest races but they all count!
Sprints are always exciting watch but also hectic, crazy, dangerous and very competitive. Stage 2 from Stupigni to Novara was no different, but Alpecin-Fenix rode it perfectly with his team-mates working all day towards the finale. How many more can Merlier win? It depends on the other sprinters, especially Giacomo Nizzolo, the Italian coming second and still waiting for his first Grand Tour stage win.
Also spare a though for UAE’s Fernando Gaviria. During the sprint, his own lead-out man Max Richeze collided with him! Goodness knows what the conversation would have been on the team bus afterwards! An absolute disaster, the same could also be said for Caleb Ewan, his Lotto Soudal team nowhere to be seen, the lead-out terrible!
28-years-of-age doesn’t make Tim Merlier a young gun. While climbing and Classics talent is swelling, the old experienced sprinters are still rocking it out. Merlier is a new addition to sprinting force, where more wins are on the cards.
Special mention must go to his celebration. A “W” victory salute, dedicated to fallen and fellow countryman Wouter Weylandt on the tenth anniversary of his tragic death.
Early progress for the GC contenders
Three stages down, how are the GC contenders looking? A time trial to start is both a blessing and sometimes a curse, either. If you are good at TT’s then you’re definately going to excel. Many contenders have gained time on their rivals, leaving others to wait for the high mountains and surmount a comeback. As previous Giro’s prove, clawing back precious time after losing vital seconds in a time trial is never impossible. Chris Froome did exactly this in 2018, Richard Carapaz the same in 2019.
At the moment, Quick Step pair Remco Evenepoel and João Almeida are the best placed riders at 20 seconds behind Ganna. Other riders who did well in Turin include Astana’s Aleksandr Vlasov, British riders Hugh Carthy and Simon Yates, and most surprisingly 38-year-old Domenico Pozzovivo, a rider who often gives us some unexpected moments and sometimes tries to make an impact on the GC. Twice he has finished fifth at the Giro overall, it would be surprising if he were to better that this year.
Other riders over 40 seconds behind Filippo Ganna were not so much the big losers of the stage but will have to work slightly more to earn back the time lost. Vincenzo Nibali rode a solid at 44 seconds, Jai Hindley at 49 seconds, but worst of all at 55 seconds behind, Mikel Landa was the worst GC contender of the lot. Without being harsh, it wasn’t actually surprising as Landa is not a strong time triallist, it is always the discipline that lets him down.
Very early days as the high terrain has yet to rise but after three stages you’d say Remco Evenepoel, João Almeida and Aleksandr Vlasov are ever so slightly on the front foot.
Take a bow Taco!
Stage 3 from Biella to Canale was the first hilly stage of this Giro, not necessarily suited to a pure sprinter but not impossible. Breakaways in the early stages of a Grand Tour are near enough always destined to be doomed – unless you’re Dutchman Taco van der Hoorn. He broke away alongside the current King of the Mountain leader Vincenzo Albanese of EOLO-Kometa, then found himself solo and the rest is history!
The peloton could not bring him back, the rest of the bunch left frustrated most likely BORA-Hansroghe after putting so much pace on the climbs to try and deliver a Peter Sagan victory.
For Taco van der Hoorn though, a significant stage win and more importantly for his team Intermarché – Wanty – Gobert Matériaux, who finally get a stage win in 2021.
The 104th Giro d’Italia continues on. As the route gets hillier, the race for pink gets tougher. Filippo Ganna is unlikely to keep the maglia rosa after Stage 4, where an uphill finish in Sestola is the key.
