Cycling: Right at the start, a demanding Giro d'Italia time trial offers the opportunity to gain a few seconds on the opponents in the overall ranking. In our stage preview, we look at the course and the favorites at the day's victory - and thus the first wearer of the pink jersey.
Giro d'Italia: Time trial decides first pink jersey
Tours often start with a prologue or a time trial. Also the Giro d'Italia 2019 begins with a battle against the clock over 8,0 kilometers. However, there can be no talk of a relaxed canter. The course guides the drivers from Bologna to San Luca. The first 5,9 kilometers look fairly easy, but after starting out on the flat, the road climbs steeply for the last 2,1 kilometers. With an average gradient of just under 9,7 percent the final ascent can almost be described as a ramp. Pure time trialists who are at their best on the flat but feel uncomfortable in the mountains will hardly be able to conquer the pink jersey on Saturday. All those climbers and puncheurs who can shine in the fight against the clock have significantly better cards.
Velomotion prognosis: Primoz Roglic is unbeatable in top form
There aren't many world-class time trialists who can handle short, toxic climbs in cycling. If we look at the start list of the Tour of Italy, the group of favorites can be severely restricted. Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) for example is the best time trialist at the Giro d'Italia. In some cases, however, he weighs around 15 kilograms more than some climbers. Steep climbs are simply not his thing. So the Dutchman will not be the fastest over the last 2,1 kilometers. The question arises as to whether he can gain enough time on the 5,9-kilometer route to compensate for the loss at the end. We say: no! Because with Primois Roglic (Jumbo – Visma) is a professional who combines all the important characteristics. The Slovenian is in top form, is a first-class time trialist and also excels on steep climbs. This all-round complete package seems almost unbeatable on Saturday.
☆☆☆ Primoz Roglic (Jumbo – Visma)
* * Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), Jon Izagirre (Astana)
* Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb), Bob Jungels (Deceuninck – Quick-Step), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos)
