The BMC Racing Team blazed to a 10-second victory in the team time trial Tuesday to put Taylor Phinney into the overall lead after the opening stage of the Giro del Trentino.
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Ninth of 17 teams to start the 14.3-kilometer race against the clock, the BMC Racing Team clocked a time of 15 minutes and 50 seconds aboard their BMC teammachine TM01s. The Astana Pro Team, starting three minutes later, finished second. Colnago CDF Bardini was third, 13 seconds slower. As the first rider from the BMC Racing Team to cross the line, Phinney donned the fuchsia jersey of race leader. “The whole team worked well together and we were really strong,” Phinney said. “There wasn’t really a plan at the finish line on who would be first to finish. I just wanted to help give us the best time.”
The former U.S. national time trial champion, who also donned the white jersey as best young rider, said he is realistic about his chances of keeping the lead in the four-day race that features two mountain-top finishes. “The stages here are full of climbing and really difficult and I’m not exactly a climber,” Phinney said. “But I’ll do everything I can to help keep the jersey within the team.”
BMC Racing Team Assistant Director Rik Verbrugghe said the seeds of victory were planted during three days of intensive preparation and reconnaissance of the course. “We did a lot of time trial training like we did last year in Belgium before the Tour de France,” he said. “You need to have strong riders, but everything also has to be perfect. All the small details are important.”
Verbrugghe said the efforts by Phinney, Alessandro Ballan, and five-time Italian time trial champion Marco Pinotti were particularly important on a technical course that started with a headwind, continued with a tailwind and crosswind and finished with a tailwind. “The last three kilometers those guys did a lot of work and that made the difference,” he said. “Phinney did the last 600 or 700 meters by himself. He was really strong.” Wednesday’s stage is 152 km featuring four categorized climbs, including a summit finish.
