The first three stages of the 2016 Giro are played out in the Netherlands and as a consequence all three courses are extremely flat. Cancellara is riding his farewell year and he definitely wants to say goodbye with a bang. Winning Strade Bianche and the ITT in the Tirreno-Adriatico (on a similar route as today’s!) he is a force to be reckoned with.
Same goes for home rider Tom Dumoulin, who had his breakthrough year in 2015, winning ITT’s in the Tour of the Basque Country, the Tour de Suisse (twice) and the Vuelta. During the whole, Cancellara wasn’t able to beat the 25-year old Dutchman once.
But Kiryienka was! During the World Championships in Richmond the Belarus rider was somewhat of a surprise winner. Yet, we all knew what a powerhouse he is. Last year, he took the hilly ITT in the Giro.
GC guys Nibali, Zakarin, Uran and Valverde all are able to deliver fine ITT’s, but we should expect it will be up to the specialists in Apeldoorn.
Favourites 1st stage Giro d’Italia 2016:
*** Fabian Cancellara, Tom Dumoulin
** Ilnur Zakarin, Bob Jungels, Jos van Emden, Stefan Küng
* Matthias Brändle, Vincenzo Nibali, Rigoberto Uran, Alejandro Valverde
Giro 2016 Stage 1: height profile, route maps, and more
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