Proving that no stage is immune to drama, the opening stage of the 2014 Giro d’Italia, a 21.7 kilometre team time trial through the streets of Belfast, threw in some dangerous curve balls.
The stage victory predictably went to the favourites for the stage, Orica–GreenEDGE; with Svein Tuft crossing the finishing line first to claim the Maglia Rosa (Pink Jersey) on his 37th birthday. However, the stage may well be best remembered for some of the early drama it injected in to the war for the Maglia Rosa.
The three major talking points emerging after the aftermath of Stage One’s team time trial are:
1. Did the weather play a major role in the result of the Team Time Trial?
Several General Classification contenders may be lamenting their team’s position around the middle of the team time trial start list after, most notably, Joaquim Rodriguez conceded one minute twenty-eight seconds to Rigoberto Uran and one minute twenty-six seconds to Cadel Evans.
Compared to stage winners Orica–GreenEDGE and late starters such as BMC, teams like Katusha and Movistar were clearly hampered by having to deal with the worst of the weather conditions. With the wet greasy road surface and difficult wind directions on the course effectively handicapping the times given to Rodriguez and Nairo Quintana.
Fortunately for Team Movistar, overall favourite Nairo Quintana did not suffer as horrendous a fate as Joaquim Rodriguez. However, the Columbian Climber will still need to nullify a deficient of fifty seconds to Uran, fourty-eight seconds to Evans, thirty-two seconds to Tinkoff-Saxo duo Rafal Majka and Nicolas Roche, and seventeen seconds to Michele Scarponi.
2. Garmin–Sharp’s General Classification ambitions are washed away…
Not only did the weather negatively impact the times achieved by some of the teams in the Team Time Trial it also ended the General Classification ambitions of Garmin–Sharp before they had even really begun.
Unless something dramatic happens there is little hope of Ryder Hesjedal salvaging Garmin–Sharp’s General Classification ambitions with the team’s time trial time adversely impacted by Dan Martin’s horrible crash. With the Irishman ruing what could have been after being forced to abandoned out on course after the crash due to a suspected broken collarbone.
3. Was it ill fortune on Dan Martin’s part or an avoidable mistake?
Accidents happen, especially when the conditions conspire to slip you up, and after potentially losing Liège-Bastogne-Liège to an unfortunate crash Dan Martin must be dreading his luck. However, where do we draw the line between pure misfortune and poor judgement or bike handling on the team or rider’s part?
Personally this author would prefer to see it as an unfortunate run of ill fortunate, or the luck of the Irish as many would say. Though, given the greasy nature of the course at the time due to the inclement weather and the fact it appears to have been greatly contributed to by a manhole cover could something been done to avoid the situation?
It seems a bit harsh to blame Dan Martin for riding over the manhole cover considering he was ensconced in the middle of the line of Garmin Sharp riders after all. Hardly the kind of place where you have the luxury of spotting dangers and choosing an alternate line.
However, given each time trial stage is often reconnoitred at least once on the day, and potentially numerous times outside of competition if deemed important enough, perhaps the hazard could have been better negated by Garmin-Sharp during the stage.
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