Here we go. It’s our first day here in Italy and it’s a flat TTT for us to get to know the teams. Well, that’s an euphemism really. Stronger teams will try to carve a nice gap to their rivals already while others will look for damage control. And then there are a few cases where a strong team has a leader who’s likely to suffer to keep with the pace
We start things off with Saber Petronas. They aren’t going to win this, but they’ll help us know what to expect from today.
1st checkpoint: 11’03’’
2nd checkpoint: 22’53’’
Finish line: 33’14’’
Tryg are next on the road. They have expectations of their own and have enough in the tank for a respectable result today.
So far they clock in 10’55’’ (-8’’) and 22’41 (-12’’). Beating Sauber’s times.
Then comes Bralirwa, who bring Ndaysenga for the GC. Experts expect them to struggle today though.
They slot between the previous two with times of 11’02 (+7’’) and 22’45’’ (+4’’).
And then the team everyone is looking out for: Project: Afrika. They bring the best TT lineup and one of the best climbers in Pinot, but it remains to be seen if the Frenchman can cope with his mates’ pace.
Starting as 4th can be seen as unfortunate, but they do well to take the best times in the first two intermediates with 10’39’’ (-16’’) and 22’00’’ (-41’’). Promising, but will it last?
From the no. 1 favourite we move onto the absolute worst team in this discipline: Eddie Stobart.
They take 11’17 (+38’’) at the first checkpoint and their line is already showing signs of weakness.
Next up is Adastra. It’s a second tier squad their sending, so not much is to be expected perhaps? They still have prominent climbers in Panayotov and Aasvold.
The first time is 11’00 (21’’) which is actually not bad for starters I guess
At the finish, Tryg end their effort with a time of 32’54 (-20’’), taking the hot seat from Sauber.
We continue with Berg now. Like Adastra the Portuguese haven’t sent their best riders here and thus are likely to find themselves forgotten in the second half of the table.
They clock in 11’07’’ (+28’’) at checkpoint 1.
Checkpoint 2: Eddie Stobart 23’22 (+1’22’’)
Bralirwa finish their TTT with a time of 33’08 (+14’’). Early to say if it’s a time to be proud of really.
Back at the start, we have Lierse coming up next. Another midtable team with not much to expect from today.
The Belgians start with 11’12’’ (+33’’).
More pressing matters need at the end of the route. Thibaut Pinot is losing contact with the rest of his team. Project: Africa’s manager worst nightmare is coming alive!
Hamza proves to be the most precious team mate he could hope for. The Algerian won’t give up on him and stoically drags his leader to the tail end of the zebra wagon.
Pinot bites his tongue in desperation, but manages to cling onto the final meters where his mates achieve a time of: 31’59’’ (-54’’). Provisional first, but will this last mishap cost them later on?
Adastra pass at checkpoint no.2 with 22’51’’ (+51’’)
We go back to the launching ramp where Popo4ever is about to start. No Pluchkin around, means expectations are low. They have a couple of NCs to help with today’s stage but it’ll be a surprise to see them at the top.
They lose 33’’ already at the first intermediate with a time of 11’12.
Eddie Stobart finish quietly with a time of 33’57 (+1’58’’)
Berg waste 1 min more at the 2nd intermediate than the current leaders: 23’00
Mapei has a diminutive squad for this race with just 6 riders. That proves costly for them as they pass with 11’18 (+39’’) dead last at intermediate no. 1
Carrefour is a much more interesting team to follow today. Taunted as the no.2 favourite can they challenge Project: Africa?
It doesn’t look likely as they lose 19’’ already after the first sector (10’58)
Adastra’s final time comes in: 33’19’’ (+1’20’’).
Lierse’s 2nd sector is good enough for a time of 22’53’’ (+53’’)
Gjensidige is a team more well-known for its puncheurs, but today they face a race against the clock. That race is good enough for a time of 11’04 at checkpoint no. 1 (+25’’)
Berg in the meantime finishes with a time of 33’33 (+1’34’’)
Popo4ever is good enough for 4th at checkpoint no. 2 with 22’50’’ (+50’’)
Sotto il sole di Riccione is not going to find the home roads to their liking. Their first time is 11’22 (+43’’). The home teams seem to be fighting for the honourable maglia nera!
Nordica – Enel will not fancy this stage either. They have GC aspirations with Ratyi and Signorini, but have no TT pedigree to challenge for a good result today.
11’46 is a disastrous starting time, already 1’07’’ behind current leaders.
Mapei sense the maglia nera slipping from their hands and in their panic up their pace beating Eddie Stobart to the penultimate place at intermediate no. 2: 23’14 (+1’14)
Lierse finish with a time of 33’23’’ (+1’24)
Another contender starts its race. Kraftwerk have arguments to fight for both today’s stage and the GC with Kiserlovski being one of the best TTist within the top climbers.
The Germans clock in a good time of 10’52, but lose 13’’ to Project: Africa at the first checkpoint.
Carrefour pass through checkpoint no.2 with a time of 22’29 (+29’’) losing 10’’ more to the leaders for provisional 2nd.
McCormick is up next. The blue train cruises past the first sector in 11’13, where they are losing 34’’
At the finish Popo4ever registers 33’13 (+1’14’’)
Gjensidige takes 22’53 at checkpoint 2 (+53’’)
Centovalli is also on the road now. The respectable Swiss line-up will try to bring Manfredi to a good place before the next couple of stages.
Their first time? 11’11 (+32’’)
Sotto il sole di Riccione 2nd sector: 23’25 (+1’25’’)
Two more final times come in: Mapei: 33’47’’ (+1’48’’) Carrefour: 33’48 (+49’’). The French consolidate their second position. Good news for Chamorro.
Carlsberg is starting their effort now. The Danes are another very interesting team and should agitate things. They’re probably the most solid team, having a nice TT core and Warbasse to complement it.
They are still not good enough to dethrone Project Africa at the 1st intermediate though. In fact they are rather disappointing with a time of 11’06 (+27’’)
Checkpoint no.2 sees Nordica – Enel waste a whopping 2’07 more than the current leaders (24’07)
Gjensidige finish in the meantime clocking 33’18 (+1’19’’)
Only 3 teams yet to start.
Next is DK Zalgris. The Lithuanians have no real expectations for today. They take 11’15 (+36’’) to start their effort.
The third best time at checkpoint 2 is taken by Kraftwerk with 22’31 (+31’’)
Sotto il sole di Riccione finish with 33’57’’ (+1’58’’)
Nordica sees their misery come to an end as well as the clock dictates 34’53’’ (+2’54’’)
That could be scary for Los Pollos Hermanos who risks a similar fate, by bringing a team of mainly pure climbers to a race with a TTT.
They lose 38’’ after the first sector at 11’17.
McCormick and Centovalli have passed through checkpoint no. 2 with times of 23’03 (+1’03’’) and 22’57 (+57’’) respectively. Kind of disappointing for the Swiss.
Kraftwerk is approaching the line, they’ve been having some of the best times…
32’38 (+39’’) Provisional 2nd for them
The last team on the road is Glanbia. The Irish are renowned for their TT prowess, but they’re not favourites today. 11’12 (+33’’) is the best they can achieve at the first checkpoint.
Carlsberg manage to recover a little bit from their slow start with a time of 22’39 (+39’’) just outside the podium after the 2nd sector
Dk Zalgris goes 23’07’’ (+1’07’’) at intermediate no.2.
Los Pollos Hermanos manages 23’15 (+1’15’’) not bad actually for them.
Glanbia is good enough for 22’53’’ (+53’’).
Every team has finished the 2nd sector. Let’s go to the finish line now.
McCormick – 33’30’’ (+1’31’’)
Centovalli - 33’17’’ (+1’18’’)
Carlsberg now in the final straight, can they challenge for the podium?
No. 32’55’’ (+56’’). It’s fifth place for them. It also looks like Project: Africa can start celebrating as the rest haven’t come any close to them in the previous checkpoints.
DK Zalgris – 33’29’’ (+1’30’’)
Los Pollos Hermanos is not going to have the disastrous result of Nordica, but they had to ditch Seboka to salvage Marquez’s chances somewhat.
Their final time is 33’50’’ (+1’51’’).
Glanbia will finish in 33’00 (+1’01’’) completing today’s stage.
Pinot is the great winner, but it’s actually is team mate Richard Laningo Laizer who will get to wear the yellow jersey tomorrow.
