Tour of Italy – Stage 1: Cavendish!

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Despite more problems with the Quickstep sprint train, Mark Cavendish still was fastest to the line to win the first in the Tour of Italy and the Pink jersey!

Photo Album: © Thomas van Bracht

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The Giro d’Italia began with a short 130 kilometre crit around the cobbled and undulating streets of Naples where numerous crashes blighted this year’s start to the Italian tour.

040513 OPQS Giro stage 1-Cavendish podium(c)Tim De Waele

Cav enjoys wearing the first Pink jersey designed by Paul Smith. Photo:  OPQS/Tim de Waele

A breakaway didn’t take long to get away but Cameron Wurf (Cannondale) was a little impatient to get more of a gap and went away on his own. The chase was dictated by the Omega-Pharma Quick Step and Argos-Shimano sprint teams and with 20 kilometres remaining, Wurf (Canondale) was reeled back in.

Video of Finale

Unfortunately, the finale was marred by a big crash which split the field to pieces with Mark Cavendish (Omega-Pharma Quick Step) making do without a lead out train and outsprinting Elia Viviani (Canondale) who then spent the next 100 metres thumping his bars in frustration at being beaten by the fastest man in the world.

040513 OPQS Giro stage 1 - Cavendish finish(c)Tim De Waele

Photo:  OPQS/Tim de Waele

His team had done everything right in the final kilometre, forcing it at the front and putting the Italian’s opponent on the back foot but it takes more than that to beat Cavendish who show yet again, he’s in a league of his own! Twitter was soon buzzing with news from the race but none more telling than this from Cav’s friend and former number 1 lieutenant Bernie who said “Mark Cavendish, well deserved stage win and maglia rosa! Send home Bouhanni Nacer before somebody gets killed! Stop him before its to late!”

Wurth_Breakaway

Cameron Wurf and his solo breakway. © Thomas van Bracht

Manx Missile in Pink After his 8th Win of the Season

Gert Steegmans was the final leadout man for Cavendish but a mechanical was a setback in his efforts to deliver the manx missle to his sweetspot in the sprint. Cavendish still managed to work his way to close enough position for a win — and his speed, from a few riders back in the sprint, was simply unmatchable.

“It was a difficult difficult stage for me” Cavendish said minutes after finishing. With all the corners and accelerating, it was like a crit but the team were incrediable to stay at the front there.”

“We didn’t get it quite right in the end in the last kilometre, it has happened too many times this year and cost us too many races. Getting around riders and onto the GreenEdge train took a lot out of me you know. It is a common mis conception that sprinters are lazy and only do 250 metres but the sprinters who win a re the ones who can sprint in the red zone.”

“Just because it’s not a big line in the last kilometre doesn’t mean that the team hasn’t done everything to get me there,” Cavendish continued about the work of the team going into the sprint finale. “You would have seen a master effort from Gert had he not had yet another mechanical this year. He did an incredible job to lead me up in the last kilometres, got on the right wheel and then unfortunately had a mechanical problem.”

“Sure I had to close a gap in the last kilometer but had he not had a complication, you would have seen him lead me to the front and then in the final. So I’m really happy how it went, as the guys rode all day on the front. It’s not easy to sit on the front when you’ve got guys surging and there’s a sprint for every corner.”

GiroStage1_Chasers_Breakaway

Argos & Quickstep hard at work on the front. © Thomas van Bracht

“It’s like a series of efforts. It’s not easy to sprint for every corner, brake, accelerate. It’s not easy and the team did that all day before dropping me off at the end. I’m lucky I’ve got the speed to be able to come back like that in the final. I’m really happy today.”

Cavendish also made a bit of a promise with Paul Smith, designer of the 2013 Giro d’Italia Maglia Rosa. “He said ‘I’m coming to Napoli, but you’ve got to promise you’ll win the jersey for me,'” Cavendish said of his conversation with Smith before the Giro. “I told him I’ll try my best and see what happens. I’m super happy, he’s a great friend of mine.”

“He’s always a supporter whether things are going good or bad. You can see he just loves it. He loves cycling, and he did some laps in the team car today. I’m so happy he’s here. He’s a really great man. What he’s done to design the jersey for the Giro is really incredible. I’m happy to wear it, for him and the team.”

As for the next goals, Cavendish said that the set up of the Giro this year makes the goal of the Red Jersey a particularly difficult task for pure sprinters. He said his bigger goal is victories in the few remaining flat stages that favor the bunch sprints. Also, he noted that the Stage 2, 17.4km TTT will not be as easy as it may seem with a team that won the UCI TTT World Championship in 2012. Still, OPQS will do what it can with a strong bunch of riders.

“We had a more specialist TTT group in Tirreno-Adriatico,” Cavendish said. “We had Tony Martin there, who did about 15km of the 18km on the front. So, it’s a little difficult without a guy like him, but we will do our best. The TTT is a lot more about commitment from the riders and you saw today that we’ve got that. So, we’re going to do everything to keep the Maglia Rosa and have respect for the jersey. We also have respect for each other. We want to try and succeed.”

Elia Viviani hurt by being beaten

“I can not feel sorry about my performance,” said Italian hope for stage wins Viviani “but for the umpteenth time getting so close to victory hurts. I’ve been beaten by the strongest sprinter, Cavendish, but I am convinced that no one is unbeatable.”

“Today, the team was perfect. Losing was a blow but we showed we know how to react. The responsibility does not feel like a burden, but a stimulus. The white jersey is a prestigious award but my thought is already turned to the next sprint.”

“It was really really hot out there as well. But I wanted this so bad. My good friend Paul Smith is here and did the jersey and I promised him I’d win the the first jersey andme and the team are really excited looking ahead to the Grand Tours. The classics didn’t go as planned so we have to get it right here.”

GiroStage1_Wiggins

Wiggins surrounded by teammates near the front. © Thomas van Bracht

No loss for Wiggins on crash filled stage
A significant split of 18 seconds formed between the first men to cross the line and the peloton, with Sky’s Bradley Wiggins safely home and awarded the same time as his general classification rivals. Only nine riders were in a position to contest the sprint from which former Sky rider Cavendish emerged to claim victory.

British placings below in red. David Millar was way down the classication saying on Twitter “I love crashing the first day of a Grand Tour: glute & shoulder bruised to hell, bike broken :( Congrats Mark Cavendish, delivers as usual”

Alex Dowsett meanwhile said on twitter, “That was hectic! Quite literally walked away from 2 crashes,laid the bike down & stepped off,bum never touched th floor. Nice Mark Cavendish”

The battle has commenced…

Sheffield’s Adam Blythe Seventh

Adam Blythe was the only BMC Racing Team rider not held up by a crash that split the peloton and finished the stage 7th.

Fewer than two dozen riders escaped the pile-up that happened as the field of 207 riders made a right turn onto a section of pavé on the eight-kilometer finishing circuit that was part of the 130 km race. “Some guys took me with them and I crashed into the barriers,” Lodewyck said.

“I have a little bit of pain in my wrist on my left hand. I hope it’s only pain from the crash and it goes away so I can race tomorrow pain free.”

Blythe finished seventh as Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) took the win ahead of Elia Viviani (Cannondale Pro Cycling) and Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ). “I was a bit blocked when the sprint started, which was a bit of a shame because Taylor (Phinney) did an amazing job for me,” Blythe said.

“Hopefully, I’ll get another chance like that and we can have another go of it. I haven’t done many bunch sprints in a long time – since the Tour of Qatar almost. So hopefully there are more to come.”

Cadel Evans said he expected a few anxious moments but was looking forward to Sunday’s team time trial and the more decisive stages of the three-week race. “The start of a big grand tour it is always nervous,” Evans said. “A tight circuit, rough roads, potholes and so on makes for a little bit of a nervous race. But I’m happy to get things underway and get through unscathed. This was just a warm-up for the next few days, which will be a more clear indicator of where the race is going to pan out.”

Other Stage 1 features
Global Cycling Network takes you behind the scenes on Stage 1 of the Giro d’Italia with three interviews with key figures from the race; David Millar of Garmin SHARP, Brian Holm, Directeur Sportif of Omega Pharma and Rod Ellingworth, Performance Manager of Sky Procycling.

Result

1 CAVENDISH Mark GBR OPQ 2:58:38 0:00 20″
2 VIVIANI Elia ITA CAN 2:58:38 0:00 12″
3 BOUHANNI Nacer FRA FDJ 2:58:38 0:00 8″
4 NIZZOLO Giacomo ITA RLT 2:58:38 0:00
5 GOSS Matthew Harley AUS OGE 2:58:38 0:00
6 VENTOSO ALBERDI Francisco J. ESP MOV 2:58:38 0:00
7 BLYTHE Adam GBR BMC 2:58:38 0:00
8 HOWARD Leigh AUS OGE 2:58:41 0:03
9 HONDO Danilo GER RLT 2:58:41 0:03 4″
10 LANCASTER Brett AUS OGE 2:58:50 0:12
11 DEGENKOLB John GER ARG 2:58:56 0:18
12 PAOLINI Luca ITA KAT 2:58:56 0:18
13 TAMOURIDIS Ioannis GRE EUS 2:58:56 0:18
14 ROSA Diego ITA AND 2:58:56 0:18
15 NAVARDAUSKAS Ramunas LTU GRS 2:58:56 0:18
16 FERRARI Roberto ITA LAM 2:58:56 0:18
17 HUNTER Robert RSA GRS 2:58:56 0:18
18 KANGERT Tanel EST AST 2:58:56 0:18
19 MARCATO Marco ITA VCD 2:58:56 0:18 2″
20 ZEITS Andrey KAZ AST 2:58:56 0:18
21 HAAS Nathan AUS GRS 2:58:56 0:18
22 WYSS Danilo SUI BMC 2:58:56 0:18
23 PHINNEY Taylor USA BMC 2:58:56 0:18
24 VANOTTI Alessandro ITA AST 2:58:56 0:18
25 EVANS Cadel AUS BMC 2:58:56 0:18
26 RUIJGH Rob NED VCD 2:58:56 0:18
27 JEANNESSON Arnold FRA FDJ 2:58:56 0:18
28 INTXAUSTI ELORRIAGA Benat ESP MOV 2:58:56 0:18
29 NIBALI Vincenzo ITA AST 2:58:56 0:18
30 ROLLIN Dominique CAN FDJ 2:58:56 0:18
31 SANTAMBROGIO Mauro ITA VIN 2:58:56 0:18
32 SCARPONI Michele ITA LAM 2:58:56 0:18
33 PUCCIO Salvatore ITA SKY 2:58:56 0:18
34 POZZATO Filippo ITA LAM 2:58:56 0:18
35 VISCONTI Giovanni ITA MOV 2:58:56 0:18
36 ANDRIATO Rafael BRA VIN 2:58:56 0:18
37 REYNES MIMO Vicente ESP LTB 2:58:56 0:18
38 HERRADA LOPEZ José ESP MOV 2:58:56 0:18
39 HANSEN Adam AUS LTB 2:58:56 0:18
40 SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel ESP EUS 2:58:56 0:18
41 BERARD Julien FRA ALM 2:58:56 0:18
42 MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN Egoi ESP EUS 2:58:56 0:18
43 COBO ACEBO Juan Jose ESP MOV 2:58:56 0:18
44 AZANZA SOTO Jorge ESP EUS 2:58:56 0:18
45 BENNATI Daniele ITA TST 2:58:56 0:18
46 OLIVIERA Nelson Filipe POR RLT 2:58:56 0:18
47 KEISSE Iljo BEL OPQ 2:58:56 0:18
48 PELLIZOTTI Franco ITA AND 2:58:56 0:18
49 WEENING Pieter NED OGE 2:58:56 0:18
50 RODRIGUEZ Jackson VEN AND 2:58:56 0:18
51 OSS Daniel ITA BMC 2:58:56 0:18
52 CARUSO Giampaolo ITA KAT 2:58:56 0:18
53 STORTONI Simone ITA LAM 2:58:56 0:18
54 ARU Fabio ITA AST 2:58:56 0:18
55 BRUTT Pavel RUS KAT 2:58:56 0:18
56 KRUIJSWIJK Steven NED BLA 2:58:56 0:18
57 MAJKA Rafal POL TST 2:58:56 0:18
58 DOWSETT Alex GBR MOV 2:58:56 0:18
59 DUQUE Leonardo Fabio COL COL 2:58:56 0:18
60 SALERNO Cristiano ITA CAN 2:58:56 0:18
61 BETANCUR GOMEZ Carlos A. COL ALM 2:58:56 0:18
62 GESINK Robert NED BLA 2:58:56 0:18
63 HESJEDAL Ryder CAN GRS 2:58:56 0:18
64 WIGGINS Bradley GBR SKY 2:58:56 0:18
65 PIRAZZI Stefano ITA BAR 2:58:56 0:18
66 GUSEV Vladimir RUS KAT 2:58:56 0:18
67 COLBRELLI Sonny ITA BAR 2:58:56 0:18
68 DE KORT Koen NED ARG 2:58:56 0:18
69 MEIER Christian CAN OGE 2:58:56 0:18
70 GOLAS Michal POL OPQ 2:58:56 0:18
71 HENAO MONTOYA Sergio Luis COL SKY 2:58:56 0:18
72 MOUREY Francis FRA FDJ 2:58:56 0:18
73 DURBRIDGE Luke AUS OGE 2:58:56 0:18
74 QUINTERO Carlos Julian COL COL 2:58:56 0:18
75 BOEM Nicola ITA BAR 2:58:56 0:18
76 VERDUGO MARCOTEGUI Gorka ESP EUS 2:58:56 0:18
77 KISERLOVSKI Robert CRO RLT 2:58:56 0:18
78 SIUTSOU Kanstantsin BLR SKY 2:58:56 0:18
79 CAPECCHI Eros ITA MOV 2:58:56 0:18
80 BRESCHEL Matti DEN TST 2:58:56 0:18
81 PIETROPOLLI Daniele ITA LAM 2:58:56 0:18
82 SABATINI Fabio ITA CAN 2:58:56 0:18
83 STEEGMANS Gert BEL OPQ 2:58:56 0:18
84 CATALDO Dario ITA SKY 2:58:56 0:18
85 PIRES Bruno POR TST 2:58:56 0:18
86 LOCATELLI Stefano ITA BAR 2:58:56 0:18
87 ZANDIO ECHAIDE Xabier ESP SKY 2:58:56 0:18
88 PETROV Evgeni RUS TST 2:58:56 0:18
89 SANTAROMITA Ivan ITA BMC 2:58:56 0:18
90 GARATE Juan Manuel ESP BLA 2:58:56 0:18
91 TROFIMOV Yury RUS KAT 2:58:56 0:18
92 BRAMBILLA Gianluca ITA OPQ 2:58:56 0:18
93 KELDERMAN Wilco NED BLA 2:58:56 0:18
94 STETINA Peter USA GRS 2:58:56 0:18
95 FELLINE Fabio ITA AND 2:58:56 0:18
96 MODOLO Sacha ITA BAR 2:58:56 0:18
97 DOCKX Gert BEL LTB 2:58:56 0:18
98 WYNANTS Maarten BEL BLA 2:58:56 0:18
99 GARZELLI Stefano ITA VIN 2:58:56 0:18
100 KROON Karsten NED TST 2:58:56 0:18
101 SARMIENTO TUNARROSA Cayetano COL CAN 2:58:56 0:18
102 BAK Lars Ytting DEN LTB 2:58:56 0:18
103 PRONI Alessandro ITA VIN 2:58:56 0:18
104 MESTRE Ricardo POR EUS 2:58:56 0:18
105 CATTANEO Mattia ITA LAM 2:58:56 0:18
106 VALLS FERRI Rafael ESP VCD 2:58:56 0:18
107 IGNATENKO Petr RUS KAT 2:58:56 0:18
108 MEZGEC Luka SLO ARG 2:58:56 0:18
109 ROUX Anthony FRA FDJ 2:58:56 0:18
110 OSPINA NAVARRO Dalivier COL COL 2:58:56 0:18
111 LASTRAS GARCIA Pablo ESP MOV 2:58:56 0:18
112 APPOLLONIO Davide ITA ALM 2:58:56 0:18
113 DI LUCA Danilo ITA VIN 2:58:56 0:18
114 RUBIANO CHAVEZ Miguel Angel COL AND 2:58:56 0:18
115 KARPETS Vladimir RUS MOV 2:58:56 0:18
116 BENNETT George NZL RLT 2:58:56 0:18
117 SUTHERLAND Rory AUS TST 2:58:56 0:18
118 WILLEMS Frederik BEL LTB 2:58:56 0:18
119 BONGIORNO Francesco Manuel ITA BAR 2:58:56 0:18
120 DE GREEF Francis BEL LTB 2:58:56 0:18
121 DANIELSON Thomas USA GRS 2:58:56 0:18
122 VRECER Robert SLO EUS 2:58:56 0:18
123 NIEMIEC Przemyslaw POL LAM 2:58:56 0:18
124 ATAPUMA HURTADO Darwin COL COL 2:58:56 0:18
125 URAN URAN Rigoberto COL SKY 2:58:56 0:18
126 MACHADO Tiago POR RLT 2:58:56 0:18
127 GIL MARTINEZ Tomas Aurelio VEN AND 2:58:56 0:18
128 TABORRE Fabio ITA VIN 2:58:56 0:18
129 BONNAFOND Guillaume FRA ALM 2:58:56 0:18
130 SERPA PEREZ Jose Rodolfo COL LAM 2:58:56 0:18
131 BOLE Grega SLO VCD 2:58:56 0:18
132 VEUCHELEN Frederik BEL VCD 2:58:56 0:18
133 WAUTERS Willem BEL VCD 2:58:56 0:18
134 PAUWELS Serge BEL OPQ 2:58:56 0:18
135 RABOTTINI Matteo ITA VIN 2:58:56 0:18
136 KESSIAKOFF Fredrik Carl W. SWE AST 2:58:56 0:18
137 ROULSTON Hayden NZL RLT 2:58:56 0:18
138 SERGENT Jesse NZL RLT 2:58:56 0:18
139 BELLEMAKERS Dirk NED LTB 2:58:56 0:18
140 GRUZDEV Dmitriy KAZ AST 2:58:56 0:18
141 TJALLINGII Maarten NED BLA 2:58:56 0:18
142 DURASEK Kristijan CRO LAM 2:58:56 0:18
143 DAMUSEAU Thomas FRA ARG 2:58:56 0:18
144 LONGO BORGHINI Paolo ITA CAN 2:58:56 0:18
145 CHRISTENSEN Mads DEN TST 2:58:56 0:18
146 CANOLA Marco ITA BAR 2:58:56 0:18
147 TIRALONGO Paolo ITA AST 2:58:56 0:18
148 ZARDINI Edoardo ITA BAR 2:58:56 0:18
149 KOZONTCHUK Dmitry RUS KAT 2:58:56 0:18
150 BATTAGLIN Enrico ITA BAR 2:58:56 0:18
151 AGNOLI Valerio ITA AST 2:58:56 0:18
152 CARUSO Damiano ITA CAN 2:58:56 0:18
153 BOARO Manuele ITA TST 2:58:56 0:18
154 POZZOVIVO Domenico ITA ALM 2:58:56 0:18
155 DUARTE AREVALO Fabio Andres COL COL 2:58:56 0:18

156 MINGUEZ AYALA Miguel ESP EUS 2:58:56 0:18
157 LUDVIGSSON Tobias SWE ARG 2:58:56 0:18
158 GASTAUER Ben LUX ALM 2:58:56 0:18
159 VANDEVELDE Christian USA GRS 2:58:56 0:18
160 TUFT Svein CAN OGE 2:58:56 0:18
161 MARANGONI Alan ITA CAN 2:58:56 0:18
162 MOURIS Jens NED OGE 2:58:56 0:18
163 DUPONT Hubert FRA ALM 2:58:56 0:18
164 MARTENS Paul GER BLA 2:58:56 0:18
165 PANTANO Jarlinson COL COL 2:58:56 0:18
166 CHALAPUD GOMEZ Robinson Edua COL COL 2:58:56 0:18
167 GATTO Oscar ITA VIN 2:58:56 0:18
168 LAMMERTINK Maurits NED VCD 2:58:56 0:18
169 LE BON Johan FRA FDJ 2:58:56 0:18
170 SELLA Emanuele ITA AND 2:58:56 0:18
171 CASAR Sandy FRA FDJ 2:58:56 0:18
172 MORABITO Steve SUI BMC 2:58:56 0:18
173 VICIOSO ARCOS Angel ESP KAT 2:58:56 0:18
174 GEORGES Sylvain FRA ALM 2:58:56 0:18
175 PATE Danny USA SKY 2:58:56 0:18
176 CUMMINGS Stephen GBR BMC 2:58:56 0:18
177 DALL’ANTONIA Tiziano ITA CAN 2:58:56 0:18
178 DEHAES Kenny BEL LTB 2:59:35 0:57
179 DE BACKER Bert BEL ARG 2:59:39 1:01
180 DEKKER Thomas NED GRS 2:59:43 1:05
181 TIMMER Albert NED ARG 2:59:54 1:16
182 POPOVYCH Yaroslav UKR RLT 3:00:41 2:03
183 LODEWYCK Klaas BEL BMC 3:00:53 2:15
184 PINEAU Jérome FRA OPQ 3:01:12 2:34
185 TRENTIN Matteo ITA OPQ 3:01:12 2:34
186 KNEES Christian GER SKY 3:01:16 2:38
187 KEIZER Martijn NED VCD 3:01:16 2:38
188 WURF Cameron AUS CAN 3:01:16 2:38 6″
189 GRETSCH Patrick GER ARG 3:01:16 2:38
190 BOBRIDGE Jack AUS BLA 3:01:16 2:38
191 BELKOV Maxim RUS KAT 3:01:16 2:38
192 PICHON Laurent FRA FDJ 3:01:16 2:38
193 JI Cheng CHN ARG 3:01:16 2:38
194 LIGTHART Pim NED VCD 3:01:16 2:38
195 ERMETI Giairo ITA AND 3:01:16 2:38
196 FISCHER Murilo Antonio BRA FDJ 3:01:16 2:38
197 MARENTES TORRES Wilson Alex. COL COL 3:01:41 3:03
198 BULGAC Brian NED LTB 3:01:41 3:03
199 VERMOTE Julien BEL OPQ 3:01:43 3:05
200 KEUKELEIRE Jens BEL OGE 3:02:31 3:53
201 AVILA VANEGAS Edwin Alcibiad COL COL 3:02:36 3:58
202 GAVAZZI Mattia ITA AND 3:02:45 4:07
203 BELLETTI Manuel ITA ALM 3:03:16 4:38
204 MILLAR David GBR GRS 3:03:19 4:41
205 CHICCHI Francesco ITA VIN 3:03:32 4:54
206 CLEMENT Stef NED BLA 3:03:45 5:07
207 URTASUN PEREZ Pablo ESP EUS 3:03:45 5:07

 

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