We start the Tour of Northern Europe with a 36.6km Team Time Trial which should create some large gaps between the riders early on.
ISA - Hexacta are the first team on the course and they come in with a time of 50'40.
Gazelle are + 1'05 having lost out in all 3 sectors.
Festina - OAKA are even worse as they are + 2'01.
MOL are only just better off at +1'55.
Isostar - Specialized come in + 14" behind ISA.
Generali are the first team to dip under the 50 minute mark as they come in with a strong time of 49'20 which is 1'19 better than ISA.
Polar were expected to be one of the favourites to take today's stage but they are + 1'08 to the time of Generali.
Team Tinkoff - La Dutcha were also expected to be contending for the win here but they are + 1'13.
All Teams through the first checkpoint and it looks like this:
Puma-SAP
-
Grieg
+ 23"
Generali
+ 34"
Minions
+ 36"
Farfetch
+ 45"
Tinkoff
+ 50"
Polar
+ 51"
Vesuvio
+ 51"
ISA - Hexacta
+ 55"
King Power
+ 58"
Moser - Sygic are + 1'23.
Huski Chocolate with a poor time at + 3'11.
Aegon - Peroni are + 2'07.
Evonik - ELKO are + 1'28.
Xero Racing set a similar time of + 1'39.
EA Vesuvio with a strong time for provisional 2nd at + 41".
Minions come through in 5th at + 1'14.
Farfetch Pro Cycling are in there with many of the other teams at + 1'32, provisional 9th for them.
Puma-SAP remain ahead after the 2nd intermediate but their has gap is much less comfortable now.
Puma-SAP
-
Grieg
+ 13"
Generali
+ 14"
Minions
+ 41"
Vesuvio
+ 50"
ISA - Hexacta
+ 1'04
Tinkoff
+ 1'06
Moser
+ 1'14
Farfetch
+ 1'16
Polar
+ 1'17
Zwift Pro Cycling are near the bottom as they are + 3'11.
Mapei are + 3'02.
Team Puma - SAP were ahead through both of the time checks but the end up + 6" to Generali! Their lack of strong Cobble riders likely taking a toll through the 2nd and 3rd sectors.
King Power are + 1'55 which puts them in the middle of the pack.
Grieg-Maersk looked good but ended slowly as they are + 25" to put them in 3rd.
Amaysim Cervelo are + 2'22.
Well, you can never count out Generali when it comes to a TTT as they win this one. Their gap to Team Puma-SAP was only 6 seconds with other favourites Grieg-Maersk at 25 seconds. Dylan Van Baarle is the current Race Leader with Menten the leading U25 rider.
