The 15 kilometres ITT route opens with a short climb, but the rest of the route is either downhill or flat. Straight roads make it a perfect course to produce high speeds.
Ganna is the favourite for the first pink jersey. The 24 year old Italian is on fire. He took a commanding ITT victory at the Worlds in Imola last week, while he also stormed to triumph in the ITT on the Tirreno-Adriatico’s last day of action.
Obviously, four time World Champion Tony Martin could also be in the mix. But is he aiming for the maglia rosa? Last year he came to Jumbo-Visma and stepped into the role of a super-domestique. On the other hand, he knows that he can still be there with the best on routes that suit him. So why not go full gas and pick up the first maglia rosa in his career?
Ganna’s team mate and two time World Champion Rohan Dennis will want to put down a marker as well.
Favourites 1st stage 2020 Giro d’Italia
*** Tony Martin, Filippo Ganna, Rohan Dennis
** Geraint Thomas, Victor Campenaerts, Michael Matthews
* Jan Tratnik, Alex Dowsett, Chad Haga, Mikkel Bjerg, Matthias Brändle
Another interesting read: route stage 1 Giro d’Italia 2020.