Adriatica Ionica Race: Quick-Step Floors win opening team time trial

Quick-Step Floors won the opening team time trial stage of the inaugural Adriatica Ionica Race, beating UAE Team Emirates into second place on the 23km course at Lido di Jesolo. Elia Viviani was first across the line for Quick-Step and will wear the leader's jersey on stage 2.

The Quick-Step line-up, which featured Niki Terpstra, James Knox and Davide Martinelli, hurtled around the course at an average speed of 54.895kph to take the stage honours by 14 seconds from UAE Team Emirates.

Speaking after the stage, Viviani paid particular tribute to the efforts of Terpstra and Danish youngster Kasper Asgreen.

"The two locomotives today were Niki Terpstra and young Kasper Agreen, who hasn't been a professional for long but who is doing very well," Viviani said. "I did what I could and my teammates were very good. We also wanted to have Knox and Jhonatan Narvaez finish with us, because we’re thinking about the GC. There's only one hard stage [stage 3] and they can defend themselves on the Passo Giau."

Trek-Segafredo placed third, a further two seconds back, while Mark Cavendish's Dimension Data squad took fourth on the stage, 34 seconds down on Quick-Step. Gazprom-Rusvelo were the only other team to finish within a minute of Quick-Step, coming in 38 seconds down in fifth on the stage.

UAE Team Emirates were the early pace-setters, recording the best time at the midway point. When Quick-Step passed the same mark in the same time as UAE Team Emirates shortly afterwards, the stage seemed set for a tight duel, but the Belgian squad pulled away on the back end of the course to take a commanding victory.

Although there were still six teams left to finish by that point, it was already apparent that Quick-Step Floors' time would not be beaten, although Trek – featuring Fabio Felline, Giacomo Nizzolo, Jarlinson Pantano and Peter Stetina – produced a solid ride to finish within 16 seconds of Viviani et al.

Viviani will wear the leader's jersey on Thursday's opening road stage, a 152km leg which brings the gruppo from Lido di Jesolo to Maser. There are two category 3 climbs on the agenda, but the stage should provide an opportunity for the sprinters to dispute the honours. On Friday, meanwhile, the race features a summit finish on the Passo Giau.

"Tomorrow is a stage that seems more like a Classic than one for sprinters, but I have every desire to defend the jersey," Viviani said. "Saturday and Sunday are two big objectives. I know the route to Trieste and I’m curious to see the penultimate stage."

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