Stage 1 of Giro d’Italia 2024 commenced in Venaria Reale in the outskirts of Torino. The stage route was 140 kilometers long, featured one category 4 climb, one category 3 climb, and one category 2 climb, before concluding in Turin. The Colle della Maddalena (category 2; 7.1 km; 6.6% average incline) was expected to have a decisive effect on the stage result.

A six-man group of breakaway hopefuls set out on a hard mission shortly after the stage start in Venaria Reale. The group featured Louis Barre (Arkea - B&B Hotels), Nicolas Debeaumarche (Cofidis Team), Lilian Calmejane (Intermarche-Wanty), Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Lidl-Trek), Andrea Pietrobon (Team Polti-Kometa), and Filippo Fiorelli (VF Group – Bardiani CSF – Faizane). The group built a lead of approximately 02:30 minutes but was kept on a tight leash by the main peloton where the favorites ruled.

Lidl-Trek’s Ghebreigzabhier was first across the top of the Superga climb (category 3) and he continued solo. Pietrobon and Fiorelli were chasing behind. Eventually, Calmejane caught Ghebreigzabhier and the duo pressed on. Meanwhile, in the main peloton UAE Team Emirates headed by Mikkel Bjerg was setting a fast pace to pave the way for their GC favorite Tadej Pogacar.

With 34 kilometers left Calmejane and Ghebreigzabhier entered the uncategorized Moncalieri climb. The duo had an advantage of 01:30 minutes over the chase duo. Ghebreigzabhier went solo. He was hoping to reach the Colle della Maddalena (category 2) in solo fashion and thereby gain a spot in the stage finale. 

Julian Alaphilippe briefly went to the font of the main peloton for his Soudal-QuickStep team, but he was soon replaced by the UAE Emirates team that was eager to reconquer the front of the peloton.

Calmejane caught Ghebreigzabhier and the duo continued together on the descent. 

The duo then reached the Colle della Maddalena. The category two climb featured 7.1 kilometers of climbing with an average gradient of 6.6 percent. Meanwhile, the main peloton was spearheaded by UAE Team Emirates’ Mikkel Bjerg.

Calmejane went solo on the climb and was also first across the top, while Ghebreigzabhier fell back and was eventually caught by the chasing peloton.

DSM-firmenich’s Romain Bardet was surprisingly dropped on the climb despite his runner-up finish in this year’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Some cycling analysts were considering Bardet an outsider for the Giro d’Italia General Classification.

In admirable fashion Calmejane continued solo in front, while being chased by Nicola Conci (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Maximilian Schachmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), and Mikkel Frølich Honore (EF Education-EasyPost). Ten kilometers remained.

Additional riders caught up with the Conci-Schachmann-Honore trio. Damiano Caruso (Bahrain-Victorious), Giulio Pellizzari (VF Group – Bardiani CSF - Faizane), Alessandro de Marchi (Team Jayco-Alula) and Alex Baudin (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) were the hopefuls. Calmejane was caught. The peloton was now twenty seconds behind.

Five kilometers from the finish line in Torino the Conci attacked solo. The Italian rider was hoping for some success in this year’s Giro. Conci had never won a professional cycling race and this was a contract negotiation year for the rider.

Tadej Pogacar attacked on the Bivio di San Vito hill. Jhonatan Narvaez countered for Ineos-Grenadiers. Conci was caught. Schachmann stuck to Pogacar, but was dropped. 

Pogacar was first to reach the top of the hill, but he was closely followed by Narvaez. It was now downhill to the finish line in Turin. Schachmann rejoined Pogacar and Narvaez.

Schachmann launched a long sprint, Narvaez countered and Pogacar responded. Narvaez was first across the finish line and the Ineos-Grenadiers rider is the first winner of a stage in this year’s Giro d’Italia. Pogacar finished second and Schachmann completed the podium.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete coverage from Giro d’Italia 2024.

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