DENMARK’S MADS PEDERSEN of Lidl-Trek won the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia on Friday, a 160km dash over rugged hills ending with two loops of downtown Tirana, as Albania hosts the first three days of this edition.
Pedersen was beautifully led out before resisting a late surge from Belgian Visma rider Wout van Aert. Primoz Roglic, the overall favourite to win the 21-day race, finished on the same time in a small bunch just behind.
Pedersen then took to the podium to slip on the iconic race leader’s pink jersey and spray the crowds with a magnum of sparkling wine.
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This was a 51st career win for Pedersen and his second on the Giro after one in 2023. He has also won stages at the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.
Spanish climber Mikel Landa was one of five victims of a nasty crash on a tight corner 5km from the finish line as the 184 riders began their epic three-week 3,400km slog to the Vatican in Rome.
Landa, who was third on the Giro in 2015 and 2022, hit a curb and flew into a drop of one metre to the pavement and rolled in agony before being taken away in an ambulance, making him the first casualty of the Giro.
Tyrone’s Darren Rafferty, making his Giro debut, finished down the peloton more than eight minutes behind the leaders, while Sam Bennett was dropped on the final climb of the day and finished as part of a group more than 12 minutes behind.
Saturday’s stage 2 is a 13.7km individual time-trial on the streets of the Albanian capital, with van Aert again a major contender for the stage and the pink jersey.
The time-trial features a short 1.3km climb, with the peculiarity of a U-turn at the top.
Sunday’s stage 3 will suit the sprinters who were dropped in the hills on Friday as it is a flat run around the coastal city of Valona.
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Pedersen wins opening stage of Giro d'Italia in Albania
DENMARK’S MADS PEDERSEN of Lidl-Trek won the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia on Friday, a 160km dash over rugged hills ending with two loops of downtown Tirana, as Albania hosts the first three days of this edition.
Pedersen was beautifully led out before resisting a late surge from Belgian Visma rider Wout van Aert. Primoz Roglic, the overall favourite to win the 21-day race, finished on the same time in a small bunch just behind.
Pedersen then took to the podium to slip on the iconic race leader’s pink jersey and spray the crowds with a magnum of sparkling wine.
This was a 51st career win for Pedersen and his second on the Giro after one in 2023. He has also won stages at the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana.
Spanish climber Mikel Landa was one of five victims of a nasty crash on a tight corner 5km from the finish line as the 184 riders began their epic three-week 3,400km slog to the Vatican in Rome.
Landa, who was third on the Giro in 2015 and 2022, hit a curb and flew into a drop of one metre to the pavement and rolled in agony before being taken away in an ambulance, making him the first casualty of the Giro.
Tyrone’s Darren Rafferty, making his Giro debut, finished down the peloton more than eight minutes behind the leaders, while Sam Bennett was dropped on the final climb of the day and finished as part of a group more than 12 minutes behind.
Saturday’s stage 2 is a 13.7km individual time-trial on the streets of the Albanian capital, with van Aert again a major contender for the stage and the pink jersey.
The time-trial features a short 1.3km climb, with the peculiarity of a U-turn at the top.
Sunday’s stage 3 will suit the sprinters who were dropped in the hills on Friday as it is a flat run around the coastal city of Valona.
– © AFP 2025
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Cycling Darren Rafferty Giro d'Italia Sam Bennett