Porto Tolle plays host to the start of the 2013 Giro d'Italia with not only the start of the first stage, but the ending for it too. The route takes multiple laps of a circuit around the town in the Veneto region of the country. And it is fair to say that a flat route has been offered up for the beginning of the race.
15 riders are here with a sprint stat of 80 or more, so we can expect today to be highly contested.
There's no prizes for guessing who has the support of the tifosi, but Bennati certainly won't have it all his own way as he looks to add to his current record of 7 stage wins.
And so the race begins.
Brian Vandborg is the first man to make a move in the Giro, but is soon followed by: Timothy Vangheel Dmitriy Gruzdev Kristjan Koren Matteo Rabottini Kevin Fouquet
It's an aggressive start to the stage, as you might expect. The first move was never going to stick, but it is not long before others try again.
This time it is: Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy Matteo Trentin Kevin Fouquet Wilson Marentes Wes Sulzberger Sep Vanmarcke Kristjan Koren
No luck there though, nor for the next group to break away: William Walker Alexandr Nepomnyachsniy Sep Vanmarcke Brian Vandborg Wilson Marentes Dmitriy Gruzdev Wes Sulzberger
The racing is hard, and the wind is strong. Some riders have been caught out by the fast opening though and the peloton has split in two. 79 infront, and 112 behind. But with most of the sprinters in that 2nd group, they do not stay separated for long. Vesuvio, Puma and Pokerstars then take straight back to the front of the peloton to chase after the 9 riders scattered up the road in the crosswinds.
William Walker Brian Vandborg Ramon Sinkeldam Elia Viviani Travis Meyer Fabio Taborre Coen Vermeltfoort Tim Kennaugh Santo Anza
But as the peloton close in on them, one man attacks away from them. Nobody follows, and they really should have because after all the activity so far in this stage - we end up with a breakaway of just 1! It is Walker.
The sprinters teams take a step back, so replacing them at the front of the field are the teams of some of the leading contenders in this race. An early display of confidence from Madrazo, Ricco and Spilak.
In amongst the relay train are: Kiril Yatsevich Lucas Schädlich Mathieu Perget Artem Topchanyuk Vegard Robinson Bugge Alexandre Shushemoin Didac Ortega Rafael Serrano Gustavo Veloso Aitor Hernández Gutierrez
But there's bad news coming in over the race radio for Santander if they intend to expend a lot of energy in this race controlling the field on the flat stages. We have already had the first abandon of the race, and it is Francisco Javier Echarri!
Also in a bit of trouble is Alessandro Ballan, crashing down just as the peloton start to lift their pace ahead of the first intermediate sprint of the race.
Walker led by 3 minutes with 6km to the sprint, but that was cut to barely 1 minute by the time he reached it after the sprinters teams conducted a warmup for later on in the day.
Erik Mohs took a comfortably 2nd place, ahead of Daniele Bennati in 3rd - nothing for Ben Swift here. The gains in points and time are only small but with a sprinter likely to hold the Maglia Rosa for the first few days of the race, they could be crucial.
And there's now a split peloton! The presence of so many Santander jerseys in the 2nd group makes it clear that Madrazo is amongst those caught out.
There is only 45 in front, with 150 behind, so unsurprisingly the gap quickly closes. But many riders will be worried now for when the pace lifts once again at the finish - there's a real danger of a split then, and riders losing unnecessary time on a flat stage!
Walker is allowed to extend his lead again, albeit temporarily.
By 25km to go, with the Australian's gap very manageable, the sprinter's teams regain control and set to work.
Walker has had his day out in the sun, but he was hardly going to be allowed to win the first stage of the race!
Meersman leads the peloton through 10km to go as they complete the catch.
The wind remains strong, and the peloton is stretched to breaking point. The combination of first stage nerves and wind is not one that many will be enjoying right now.
Puma have continued to lead the peloton up until 5km to go, but now it is the time for the sprint trains to come forwards instead and Vesuvio appear to be best placed in that regard.
But the Luxembourg squad can't get it together right away, and Pokerstars.com surge into the lead. Fears that they only had 2 suitable riders for the end of the stage can be put aside as Martijn Maaskant leads the way.
Martijn Maaskant John Degenkolb Erik Mohs Cameron Meyer
Puma are next, Meersman doing a last bit of work before deservingly getting to sit up.
Gianni Meersman Enrico Gasparotto Thomas Vedel Kvist Daniele Bennati
And finally there is Vesuvio - with a British theme to the end of it as Luke Rowe has taken the wheel of Swift.
Pedro Merino Criado Steven Caethoven Ben Swift Luke Rowe
Also prominent are Juan Van Heerden and Romain Vanderbiest, but they don't seem to be tagging on to the end of a train just yet.
Davis, Lavoine, Ciolek, Meyer and Rojas Gil are next in line, mixed in with some well placed GC riders: Spilak, Phinney and Ricco. They've got their tactics right because race radio is crackling with news that the peloton has split into 2, maybe 3 pieces. The cameras remain on the front but damage is being done behind.
And at the front the dynamic is changing. Maaskant has been unable to keep in the lead after that initial burst, as Gasparotto and Merino Criado move alongside him. Theres no longer any followers in the trains either as Meyer and Rowe have somehow lost contact - but Van Heerden is still lurking there.
Having appeared to be a little slow initially forming their train, it turns out that Vesuvio have timed their move perfectly. Caethoven opens the sprint and into the lead he goes.
Degenkolb has put in a strong response, with one slight problem. Mohs has fallen a long way back from his wheel.
Puma are also quite a mess as Kvist has buckled under the pressure. Bennati is forced to move past him - although not yet starting his sprint - to try to close the gap to Swift's wheel by himself.
Degenkolb takes a breather as he realises he may now need to sprint for himself, while Van Heerden the only other sprinter going well.
Caethoven has blown the competition away, and now Swift launches. To be able to launch inside the final kilometre, and from a leading position, is perfect for the Brit - now he has to finish the job.
Bennati gives it his all and starts to close the gap but hang on ... Swift (on the left) doesnt seem to be able to get past Caethoven! The Belgian warmed up for the race by winning a stage of the Tour de Romandie, so clearly has good form.
Perhaps the crosswind has become a tailwind, as Swift has to really fight to move alongside this inspired sprinting from his teammate. Is this a battle of Swift v Bennati, or Swift v Caethoven?
But Swift does get past, and he takes the victory! His first Grand Tour stage victory has come right at the start of the race.
What an incredible stage for Vesuvio-Accumalux as Caethoven completes the 1-2, forcing Bennati to settle for 3rd.
And to complete a remarkable day for the team, Merino Criado has managed to take 6th, behind Van Heerden in 4th and Degenkolb in 5th. Great effort by the German who had expected to be leading out Mohs - although saying that, he couldnt match fellow leadout man Caethoven.
Vanderbiest finishes 7th, as a tight finish sees Gasparotto 8th, Ciolek 9th and Phinney a surprise 10th.
Complete failure for Mohs who only manages 15th. If he can't contend on the flattest of stages, what use will he be for the rest of the race?
The wind has of course had an impact today, and it's not over yet. The front group appears to be only 64 strong, and some big names are behind!
Vincenzo Nibali Emanuele Sella Gianpaolo Caruso Sergio Luis Henao Montoya Bernhard Kohl Markus Fothen Robert Kiserlovski
But today they will escape with no loss - with a huge gratitude to Ochoa Quintero who managed to position himself in the middle of the gap between the first and second group - to save the skin of both his team leader, and some of his rivals.
This group was only 52 riders, with another 70 behind another split after them - but they too get away with their slow finish. Not everybody finishes on the same time though, 12 riders were more significantly dropped, including Mollema, Peterson and the Rwandan Biziyaremye.
Brian Vandborg is the first man to make a move in the Giro, but is soon followed by:
Dmitriy Gruzdev
Kristjan Koren
Ramon Sinkeldam
Kiril Yatsevich
Artem Topchanyuk
Vegard Robinson Bugge
Didac Ortega
Ben Gastauer
Maciej Paterski
Bernhard Kohl
Robert Kiserlovski
