BMC strike first blow at Tirreno-Adriatico

BMC Racing stormed their way to victory in the team time trial on the opening day of action at Tirreno-Adriatico. The American team almost came to the line with a full complement of riders, losing just one rider in the closing kilometres, and posted a time of 23:20 on the 22.7km route around the Tuscany seaside resort of Lido di Camaiore.

As the team entered the final stretch, they had a minute to work with but the drag was long and they held 17 seconds on Quick-Step Floors by the time they hit the line. Italian Damiano Caruso sprinted to the front of the group to lead them over and put himself into the first blue jersey. As the team's GC hopes collapsed at Paris-Nice this week, the victory sets up the general classification campaign of Tejay van Garderen nicely.

Nairo Quintana will also be satisfied with how his Movistar team performed. In Tuesday's pre-race press conference, Quintana had said the stage would be about limiting losses and they did that and more, clocking the third quickest time at just 22 seconds behind BMC.

Orica-Scott was the only other team to dip below the 24-minute mark with their effort of 22:45, putting Adam Yates into a strong position ahead of the mountains.

"Most of us are time trial specialists. We won like last year but faster than last year because we have two new riders in the team, Stefan Kung and Rohan Dennis who are really fast against the clock. They have made that difference today compared to last year," Caruso said before collecting his leader's jersey. "Maybe the weather conditions have also helped for a faster time. At the end I was first on the line, which enables me to wear the leader's jersey – it's a great honour. Racing at home in Italy with that jersey will be special. We'll see how far I can go with it. We're also racing for our leader Tejay van Garderen."

How it happened

Lotto Soudal kick-started the 2017 Tirreno-Adriatico, under sunny skies in Lido di Camaiore. They didn't have high expectations going into the stage but put in a solid performance of 24:12, which would be enough to hold off the attempts of Trek-Segafredo and Tom Dumoulin's Team Sunweb. The Dutchman's blunt appraisal of the time, which was four seconds slower than Lotto Soudal, was that it was simply 'not fast enough'. Dumoulin would have been hoping to put time into his rivals on day one, rather than giving it away.

Movistar, who were sixth to start, would eventually knock Lotto Soudal out of the hot seat. While taking care to keep Quintana out of the wind as much as possible, they averaged over 57kph on the course. The team's time of 23:42 would give the Colombian a large buffer on some of his GC rivals going into the next stages and was a marked improvement on their 10th place ride over the same course last year.

Reigning team time trial world champions Quick-Step Floors were also in the first half of the teams, starting eighth of the 22 squads. With half the team that delivered them to that title in the eight-man line-up, plus the firepower of the likes of Zdenek Stybar and Tom Boonen, the Belgian outfit set off with just one result in mind.

Quick-Step Floors would cut five seconds off Movistar's time and replace them in the hot seat. The team had to wait well over an hour to see any other team could get close to them, as plenty tried and failed. Both FDJ and Orica-Scott put in strong performances, but they weren't sufficient to threaten their hold on the lead.

Team Sky had big hopes of what they might be able to do but several of their riders, including Mikel Landa and Diego Rosa, looked in trouble, and the team had to adjust to ensure they weren't dropped. A catastrophic wheel failure for Gianni Moscon, which sent him tumbling to the ground, was the final nail in the coffin. Fortunately for Moscon, he was able to remount, and he reported to the television cameras waiting at the finish that it was a pothole that had caused the failure.

As the winners of last year's time trial, BMC was the last team to depart down the starting ramp. They looked like a well-oiled machine throughout, losing just Manuel Quinziato in the final kilometres. With the line in sight, Caruso sprinted while the remainder of the team remained in formation on the other side of the road. The Italian led them over to put himself into the first leader's jersey of the race.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1BMC Racing0:23:20
2Quick-Step Floors0:00:17
3Movistar Team0:00:22
4FDJRow 3 - Cell 2
5Orica-Scott0:00:25
6LottoNL-Jumbo0:00:40
7Lotto Soudal0:00:52
8Bahrain-Merida0:00:53
9Dimension DataRow 8 - Cell 2
10Astana0:00:55
11Sunweb0:00:56
12Trek-Segafredo0:00:58
13AG2R La Mondiale0:01:00
14UAE Team Emirates0:01:09
15Bora-Hansgrohe0:01:11
16Cannondale-Drapac0:01:18
17Katusha-Alpecin0:01:36
18Team Sky0:01:42
19Androni-Giocattoli0:01:45
20Bardiani-CSF0:02:21
21Nippo-Vini Fantini0:02:22
22Novo Nordisk0:02:52
Swipe to scroll horizontally
General classification after stage 1
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Damiano Caruso (Ita) BMC Racing Team0:23:21
2Rohan Dennis (Aus) BMC Racing TeamRow 1 - Cell 2
3Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 2 - Cell 2
4Stefan Küng (Swi) BMC Racing TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing TeamRow 4 - Cell 2
6Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick-Step Floors0:00:16
8Matteo Trentin (Ita) Quick-Step FloorsRow 7 - Cell 2
9Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step FloorsRow 8 - Cell 2
10Julien Vermote (Bel) Quick-Step FloorsRow 9 - Cell 2
11Zdenek Stybar (Cze) Quick-Step FloorsRow 10 - Cell 2
12Fernando Gaviria (Col) Quick-Step FloorsRow 11 - Cell 2
13Niki Terpstra (Ned) Quick-Step FloorsRow 12 - Cell 2
14Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ0:00:21
15Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJRow 14 - Cell 2
16Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJRow 15 - Cell 2
17Steve Morabito (Swi) FDJRow 16 - Cell 2
18Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJRow 17 - Cell 2
19Sébastien Reichenbach (Swi) FDJRow 18 - Cell 2
20Jonathan Castroviejo (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 19 - Cell 2
21Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar TeamRow 20 - Cell 2
22Daniel Moreno (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 21 - Cell 2
23Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Andrey Amador (CRc) Movistar TeamRow 23 - Cell 2
25Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Movistar TeamRow 24 - Cell 2
26Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team0:00:24
27Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 26 - Cell 2
28Michael Hepburn (Aus) Orica-ScottRow 27 - Cell 2
29Adam Yates (GBr) Orica-ScottRow 28 - Cell 2
30Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-ScottRow 29 - Cell 2
31Luka Mezgec (Slo) Orica-ScottRow 30 - Cell 2
32Jos Van Emden (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:00:39
33Enrico Battaglin (Ita) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 32 - Cell 2
34Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 33 - Cell 2
35Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 34 - Cell 2
36Lars Boom (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 35 - Cell 2
37Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:00:42
38Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto Soudal0:00:51
39Maxime Monfort (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 38 - Cell 2
40Tiesj Benoot (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 39 - Cell 2
41Tim Wellens (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 40 - Cell 2
42Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 41 - Cell 2
43Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida0:00:52
44Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Bahrain-MeridaRow 43 - Cell 2
45Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 44 - Cell 2
46Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 45 - Cell 2
47Manuele Boaro (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 46 - Cell 2
48Javier Moreno (Spa) Bahrain-MeridaRow 47 - Cell 2
49Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Bahrain-MeridaRow 48 - Cell 2
50Stephen Cummings (GBr) Dimension DataRow 49 - Cell 2
51Jay Robert Thomson (RSA) Dimension DataRow 50 - Cell 2
52Scott Thwaites (GBr) Dimension DataRow 51 - Cell 2
53Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension DataRow 52 - Cell 2
54Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Dimension DataRow 53 - Cell 2
55Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team0:00:54
56Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 55 - Cell 2
57Oscar Gatto (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 56 - Cell 2
58Andrey Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro TeamRow 57 - Cell 2
59Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 58 - Cell 2
60Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
61Søren Kragh Andersen (Den) Team Sunweb0:00:55
62Georg Preidler (Aut) Team SunwebRow 61 - Cell 2
63Chad Haga (USA) Team SunwebRow 62 - Cell 2
64Mike Teunissen (Ned) Team SunwebRow 63 - Cell 2
65Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team SunwebRow 64 - Cell 2
66Fabio Felline (Ita) Trek-Segafredo0:00:57
67Bauke Mollema (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 66 - Cell 2
68Matthias Brändle (Aut) Trek-SegafredoRow 67 - Cell 2
69Markel Irizar (Spa) Trek-SegafredoRow 68 - Cell 2
70Boy van Poppel (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 69 - Cell 2
71Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale0:00:59
72Hugo Houle (Can) AG2R La MondialeRow 71 - Cell 2
73Alexandre Geniez (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 72 - Cell 2
74Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 73 - Cell 2
75Jan Bakelants (Bel) AG2R La MondialeRow 74 - Cell 2
76Manuel Quinziato (Ita) BMC Racing Team0:01:00
77Alexis Gougeard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:02
78Roberto Ferrari (Ita) UAE Team Emirates0:01:08
79Matej Mohoric (Slo) UAE Team EmiratesRow 78 - Cell 2
80Rui Costa (Por) UAE Team EmiratesRow 79 - Cell 2
81Sacha Modolo (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 80 - Cell 2
82Filippo Ganna (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 81 - Cell 2
83Marco Marcato (Ita) UAE Team EmiratesRow 82 - Cell 2
84Vegard Stake Laengen (Nor) UAE Team EmiratesRow 83 - Cell 2
85Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Bahrain-Merida0:01:09
86Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe0:01:10
87Peter Sagan (Svk) Bora-HansgroheRow 86 - Cell 2
88Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Bora-HansgroheRow 87 - Cell 2
89Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Bora-HansgroheRow 88 - Cell 2
90Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-HansgroheRow 89 - Cell 2
91Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) BMC Racing Team0:01:12
92Gediminas Bagdonas (Ltu) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:15
93Alberto Bettiol (Ita) Cannondale-Drapac0:01:17
94Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale-DrapacRow 93 - Cell 2
95Simon Clarke (Aus) Cannondale-DrapacRow 94 - Cell 2
96Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Cannondale-DrapacRow 95 - Cell 2
97Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale-DrapacRow 96 - Cell 2
98Reto Hollenstein (Swi) Katusha-Alpecin0:01:35
99Matvey Mamykin (Rus) Katusha-AlpecinRow 98 - Cell 2
100Ángel Vicioso (Spa) Katusha-AlpecinRow 99 - Cell 2
101Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha-AlpecinRow 100 - Cell 2
102Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Katusha-AlpecinRow 101 - Cell 2
103Rick Zabel (Ger) Katusha-AlpecinRow 102 - Cell 2
104Rein Taaramäe (Est) Katusha-AlpecinRow 103 - Cell 2
105Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Katusha-Alpecin0:01:37
106Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Orica-ScottRow 105 - Cell 2
107Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:01:38
108Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Team Sky0:01:41
109Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team SkyRow 108 - Cell 2
110Mikel Landa (Spa) Team SkyRow 109 - Cell 2
111Salvatore Puccio (Ita) Team SkyRow 110 - Cell 2
112Diego Rosa (Ita) Team SkyRow 111 - Cell 2
113Andrea Palini (Ita) Androni Giocattoli0:01:44
114Mattia Frapporti (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 113 - Cell 2
115Egan Bernal (Col) Androni GiocattoliRow 114 - Cell 2
116Raffaello Bonusi (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 115 - Cell 2
117Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 116 - Cell 2
118Davide Ballerini (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 117 - Cell 2
119Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Androni GiocattoliRow 118 - Cell 2
120Dylan Van Baarle (Ned) Cannondale-Drapac0:01:48
121Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 120 - Cell 2
122Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:57
123Moreno Moser (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:02:10
124Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) FDJ0:02:15
125Mirco Maestri (Ita) Bardiani CSF0:02:20
126Nicola Boem (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 125 - Cell 2
127Simone Velasco (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 126 - Cell 2
128Luca Wackermann (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 127 - Cell 2
129Enrico Barbin (Ita) Bardiani CSFRow 128 - Cell 2
130Eduard Grosu (Rom) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:02:21
131Julian Arredondo (Col) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 130 - Cell 2
132Alan Marangoni (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 131 - Cell 2
133Iuri Filosi (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 132 - Cell 2
134Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 133 - Cell 2
135Hideto Nakane (Jpn) Nippo - Vini FantiniRow 134 - Cell 2
136Nicola Ruffoni (Ita) Bardiani CSF0:02:44
137Simone Andreetta (Ita) Bardiani CSF0:02:45
138Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk0:02:51
139Martijn Verschoor (Ned) Team Novo NordiskRow 138 - Cell 2
140Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Novo NordiskRow 139 - Cell 2
141Charles Planet (Fra) Team Novo NordiskRow 140 - Cell 2
142Javier Megias (Spa) Team Novo NordiskRow 141 - Cell 2
143David Lozano (Spa) Team Novo NordiskRow 142 - Cell 2
144William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ0:02:53
145Gianni Moscon (Ita) Team Sky0:02:54
146Elia Viviani (Ita) Team SkyRow 145 - Cell 2
147Max Walscheid (Ger) Team Sunweb0:02:55
148Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Trek-Segafredo0:02:56
149Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli0:03:00
150Marco Coledan (Ita) Trek-Segafredo0:03:01
151Koen De Kort (Ned) Trek-SegafredoRow 150 - Cell 2
152Iljo Keisse (Bel) Quick-Step Floors0:03:05
153Daniele Bennati (Ita) Movistar Team0:03:06
154Joonas Henttala (Fin) Team Novo Nordisk0:03:09
155Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:03:11
156Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Team Sunweb0:03:12
157Marko Kump (Slo) UAE Team Emirates0:03:18
158Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro Team0:03:20
159Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team SkyRow 158 - Cell 2
160Kohei Uchima (Jpn) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:03:30
161Mark Renshaw (Aus) Dimension Data0:03:45
162Alessandro Tonelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF0:03:59
163Romain Gioux (Fra) Team Novo NordiskRow 162 - Cell 2
164Ryan Mullen (Irl) Cannondale-Drapac0:04:00
165Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension DataRow 164 - Cell 2
166Johann Van Zyl (RSA) Dimension DataRow 165 - Cell 2
167Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-Scott0:04:04
168Roger Kluge (Ger) Orica-ScottRow 167 - Cell 2
169Aleksejs Saramotins (Lat) Bora-Hansgrohe0:04:10
170Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Cannondale-Drapac0:04:12
171Albert Timmer (Ned) Team SunwebRow 170 - Cell 2
172Paul Martens (Ger) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:04:26
173Nikolas Maes (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:04:28
174Marco Canola (Ita) Nippo - Vini Fantini0:04:55
175Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) Bora-Hansgrohe0:05:02
176Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Bora-Hansgrohe0:05:39

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1