Giro d'Italia 2013: Stage 1

Hello and welcome to the Cyclingnews live coverage of stage one of the 2013 Giro d'Italia. We'll have live information from Naples as the riders begin the first Grand Tour of the season with 130km stage around the city and stunnning coastline. 

Who will be the first win of this year's Giro d'Italia and who will pull on the first race leader's pink jersey of the race? We'll have all the action, information, twitter updates and news here.    

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the 2013 Giro d'Italia.

Stage 1 in Naples is due to start in 20 minutes and riders are already signing on.

Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) has signed on, getting a huge cheer from the crowd.

@giroditalia Sat, 4th May 2013 12:45:07

Stage one is a 130km circuit stage around Naples, it is set to finish with a high-speed sprint, with the winner also pulling on the race leader's pink jersey.

For all the inside info and a video preview on the stage, check out our special page here. 

Who is your favourite to win the sprint? Cavendish? Degenkolb? Ferrari? Viviani? Goss? Bouhanni?

Mark Cavendish signs on.

@giroditalia Sat, 4th May 2013 12:59:39

A total of 207 riders will start the Giro d'Italia this year, nine more than usual after the addition of the Katusha team following their successful appeal to secure a WorldTour place.

Check out the full start list here.

It's a stunning day in Naples, with blue skies and temperatures of 27C. 

@Orica_GreenEDGE Sat, 4th May 2013 13:10:50

The tension is rising as the time for the start gets near.

And they're off!

The race is still neutralised but the riders are rolling along the Naples seafront to the km 0 point.

And now the race is underway!

With some immediate attacks as riders look to get in the early break of the day.

The gruppo is lined out. 

The riders are starting the 4 laps of the Posillipo circuit.  

The circuit is 16.4km long and includes a short climb but nothing to worry the sprinters. The final part of the stage covers an 8km circuit eight times.  

The shorts from the helicopter of the Naples coast are amazing.

Despite the relatively flat stage profile, the climber's jersey will be awarded because there ate two category 4 climbs on the long circuits.

Before the start of the stage, light-hearted whistles and cheers from the Neapolitan crowds filled the air when Mark Cavendish emerged from the QuickStep bus to kiss girlfriend Peta Todd and daughter Delilah. A smiling Cavendish was then swarmed by fans looking for his picture and he obliges before pedalling off to sign on.

We already have a breakaway, with seven riders in the move. We'll have the names very soon. 

Cameron Wurf (Cannondale) started the move and after the first climb of the circuit, he is clear with Giovanni Visconti (Movistar). They already have a lead of over a minute. 

Behind the Omega Pharma-Quick Step is leading the peloton but is unsure to chase or not.

While the riders sweat and suffer in the sun, lots of local residents are enjoying a day in the sun. 

A TV replay shows how Visconti was lucky to avoid a dog on the course.

Seven riders is a good number for a break. With the stage just 130km long, the sprinters' teams are going to have to work hard and ensure the gap does not get too big.

111km remaining from 130km

After the first lap, the gap is 2:00.

How are you getting in the mood for the Giro?

@leguape Sat, 4th May 2013 13:48:02

Visconti has sneaked clear on the climb to take the first climber's points.

He looks set to pull on the blue climber's jersey.

30km remaining from 130km

Caduta! Crash! FDJ's Laurent Pichon goes down on a straight section of road. He seems ok but went down hard.

The four leader's jerseys of the Giro are different to most other race. The race leader's jersey is pink. the point's competition jersey is red, the climber's jersey blue and the best young rider's jersey is white.

30km remaining from 130km

The gap to the peloton remains close to  two minutes.

The break passes through the finish for a second time.

95km remaining from 130km

The Argos-Shimano team is also sharing the work at the head of the peloton.

95km remaining from 130km

The peloton is exactly 1:44 behind the break of 7 riders.

2012 Giro winner Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) is wearing the pink jersey during the stage. 

Popovych also crashed and is getting treatment from the race doctor.

Pichon is also getting treatment to a cut in his mouth. 

In Italy Mattia Gavazzi (Androni Giocattoli) is tipped as a rival to Cavendish in the sprints. He has overcome personal problems with cocaine to make a successful comeback. 

The break has split in the climb with Bonnafond first over the line.

Correction, Wurf was first to the top.

85km remaining from 130km

The riders are already back on the sea front, with the gap still close to 2:00. 

79km remaining from 130km

Crash!! The peloton has been blocked.

Several riders went down but Pablo Urtasun is the worst off. He's on his feet but not yet riding again.

Urtasun gets a new bike and sets off slowly. Daniele Pietropolli (Lampre-Merida) also gets a bike change.

Cameron Wurf has hit alone and leads the break of six by almost a minute. 

The riders are tackling the climb for the last time. They will soon begin the 8 finishing circuits. 

 Wurf goes over the climb and is close to two minutes ahead. The rest of the break have eased back and are about to be caught by the peloton.

70km remaining from 130km

Wurf begin cycling after competing internationally at canoing. He even represented Australia at the  Athens Olympics. A wrist injury forced him to take up cycling.

A flat for Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi). He takes out his rear wheel to speed up his change and is quickly away again. 

The helicopter shots show Ischia island not far from the coast. The Giro will transfer there on Sunday for the team time trial. 

56km remaining from 130km

Wurf's gap is melting slowly in the afternoon sun and now below two minutes.

There are now seven laps of the finishing circuit to go. Almost all of it is on the Naples seafront.

Team Sky is now close to the front, while Filippo Pozzato (Lampre-Merida) gets a quick wheel change at the back. 

48km remaining from 130km

Here comes Wurf again, passing through the finish area. but his gap is gradually coming down as the peloton ups the pace.

@julienpretotRTR Sat, 4th May 2013 15:20:20

41km remaining from 130km

Wurf is still pedaling solo up front but the gap is down to less than a minute.

@opqscyclingteam Sat, 4th May 2013 15:26:31

Are you up to date and ready for the Giro d'Italia? Check out our special countdown content to learn everything about the Giro d'Italia and the riders fighting for pink and the stage victories. 

It's all here, on the race page.

32km remaining from 130km

Wurf is starting to go deep now as he fights to stay clear.

Wurf's lead is coming down as the tension for the sprint begins to mount. 

Crash! one of the Omega Pharma riders lost his balance and slipped out while leading the peloton around the turn. The Naples roads are were smooth due the traffic.

27km remaining from 130km

Uran (Team Sky) changed a wheel after a flat and is now taking a sneaky tow from a RadioShack team car. 

It seems it was Pineau, the OPQS rider who went down. 

Chute! Johan Le Bon (FDJ) takes a tumble.

24km remaining from 130km

With three laps and 24km to go, Wurf has a lead of 22 seconds. The peloton can see him on the long straight road.  

Omega Pharma-Quick Step are leading the peloton and seem determined to take charge of the sprint.

The risk is that the other teams take advantage of their work in the final kilometres.

Whoever wins the sprint today will pull on the first pink jersey of the race. Time bonuses of 20, 12 and 8 seconds are also awarded. 

18km remaining from 130km

Team Sky is back near the front, escorting team leader Bradley Wiggins. 

15km remaining from 130km

Some of the corners are tight and could cause some problems on the last lap.

The spped is high now, close to 50km/h.

Radioshack is also moving to the front to help young Italian sprinter Giacomo Nizzolo.

Wurf has been swept up. It's sprint time!

Mark Cavendish is following his teammates, opting for an position next to the barriers.

The peloton has completed the loop at the end of the circuit. This will be just 2km from the finish next time and the speed will be a lot higher.

8km remaining from 130km

The bell rings to announce the last lap. Just 8km to go until the sprint finish.

More sprinter teams are now moving to the front. Orica-GreenEdge and Cannondale are there for Goss and Viviani.

Movistar is also there, working for Fran Ventoso.

Svein Tuft is on the front for Orica, with Pozzato on his wheel.

5km remaining from 130km

Who is going to take charge of the sprint or will it be totally chaotic?

In other news:

3km remaining from 130km

Orica take charge now, with Cannondale also up there. BMC is also getting in the mix for Blythe and Phinney.

Bouhanni (FDJ) is also moving up.

2km remaining from 130km

Three Cannondale riders on the front.

Crash! The peloton has split,with just 15 riders clear up front.  

Chicchi, Gavazzi and Millar all go down.

Last km.

Orica lead it out for Goss but Cavendish came from brhind and dived around his rivals to win!

Cavendish came past Viviani to win.

Goss had a perfect lead out but Cavendish and Viviani came past him. Bouhanni also found some speed near he line to take third.

Thanks to his win, Mark Cavendish is the first pink jersey wearer of the 2013 Giro d'Italia.

It is Cavendish's 11th stage win at the Giro. 

There was a lot of pressure on Cavendish after doubts about his lead out train but he won again.

The crash in the last two kilometres took out several sprinters but Cavendish was strong enough to go past him, close the gap, switch across the road and have the speed to win.

Cavendish was angry after the finish during the flash interviews but is all smiles on the podium with his baby daughter.

Cavendish also pulls on the pink jersey and sprasys the prosecco. This is the third time he pulls on the maglia rosa.

@giroditalia Sat, 4th May 2013 16:38:01

Thanks to winning the stage and taking the pink jersey, Cavendish will wear the jersey during the team time trial.

He leads Viviani by eight seconds and Bouhanni by 12 seconds. He will need a good team timr trial to keep it tomorrow. Everyone is just 20 seconds behind.

We'll have live coverage of the team time trial on Sunday. Join us to find out who wins on the testing 17.4km course.

For a full stage report, results and a photo gallery, checkout the race report section here.

That's it for today's live coverage. We'll have rider interviews, huge photo galleries and a look forward to the team time trial on Cyclingnews.

Joins us tomorrow for more action from the Giro d'Italia.