Belkov takes over race lead after Coppi e Bartali TTT

Image 1 of 25

Katusha won stage 1b at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali, an 11.2km team time trial from Sant'Angelo to Gatteo Mare, following an opening 99.5km road stage starting and finishing in Gatteo earlier in the day.

In a twist on the team time trial format, each of the 25 squads split into two teams which started separately from each other and were timed on the third rider to cross the finish line. Katusha's A-team of Anton Vorobyev, Maxim Belkov, Alexander Porsev and Sergei Chernetski recorded the fastest time of 13:15 with their winning effort enough to put Belkov into the overall leader's jersey.

"I am really happy for the victory," said Belkov. "We prepared very well for this time trial and we were focused on the best result possible. And we did it. Now, I am also the leader of the race and I will try to do my best in the next days.

"The result today is important not only for Katusha, but for the whole Russian Global Cycling Project too. Today we had young Russian riders in the roster who just started their professional careers. We, the riders with a lot of experience, are proud for that."

Cannondale Pro Cycling's B-team, comprised of Ivan Basso, Damiano Caruso, Moreno Moser and Paolo Longo Borghini, finished second at five seconds while Team NetApp-Endura's A-team, including 2012 Coppi e Bartali champion Jan Barta, Iker Camano, Bartosz Huzarski and José Joao Pimenta Costa Mendes, rounded out the top three at eight seconds.

Maxim Belkov now leads Katusha teammate Sergei Chernetski by two seconds on general classification, while a trio of Cannondale Pro Cycling riders, Damiano Caruso, Ivan Basso and Moreno Moser, hold third through fifth respectively, all tied on time at five seconds.

Fabio Felline, winner of the morning stage and wearer of the leader's jersey during the team time trial, was part of Androni Giocattoli's B-team which ceded 31 seconds to the Katusha A-team, dropping the Italian to 25th overall at 24 seconds.