clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Orica does it again

The true specialists in the team timetrial Orica-GreenEdge took another Grand Tour scalp by winning the Giro's opening stage. First over the line was Simon Gerrans who is our first man in the pink jersey this year. Alberto Contador came out the winner among the GC riders as Tinkoff came in second, taking time on Contador's opponents.

By Jens
LUK BENIES/AFP/Getty Images

Orica always start as favorites in the TTT these days and they lived up to it impressively as they crushed the opposition in a very fast race on the bike path to Sanremo. They finished the 17.6 km in an average speed of 54.3 km/h to beat the nearest opponents Tinkof-Saxo by 7 seconds. Tinkoff where looking threatening until the intermediate time where they were fastest but they unravelled slightly soon after as Ivan Basso struggled to hold on and got Contador in a bit of trouble as well. A bit of messiness was probably all they needed to lose a few seconds to an immaculate Orica who put Simon Gerrans in the leader's pink jersey. This will make for a nice turnaround for the Orica star who has struggled with bad luck all spring, losing out on all his objectives with injury. As a nice bonus it also put their GC hopeful, young Johan Chaves, in a good position from the start.

Tinkoff-Saxo were probably both happy and disappointed with their day. Disappointed because they really had a chance to win a stage today but happy to have put as much as 20 seconds into Richie Porte and his Team Sky. Astana did a tremendous TTT as well, sitting in the leaders seat for a long time but in the end losing six seconds to Tinkoff and finishing third. Aru will most likely be happy with that while Porte certainly didn't think he would be losing as much as 20 seconds in a discipline that Sky usually outperforms the opposition in.

TOP 5

  1. Orica Greenedge 19:26
  2. Tinkoff-Saxo + 6 sec
  3. Astana +13 sec
  4. Etixx-QuickStep +19 sec
  5. Movistar + 21 sec

More From Podium Cafe