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(Marco Bonarrigo) As often happens in these cases, when the race starts it is necessary to revise downwards the times that will be used by the top athletes: at the moment the South African De Bod is in the lead, finishing in 22’32” at an average speed of 52.18 km/hour . the winner could break down the “wall” of 22 minutes. In fact, in the flat part it goes over 55 per hour.

(Marco Bonarrigo) Evenepoel’s helmet (produced by the American company Specialized) costs just under 400 euros and, according to the designer, allows an aerodynamic gain of about 0”8 per kilometer compared to previous models. Watch out for the “Martian” helmets of the American team Ef: certainly aerodynamic, they are among the ugliest ever seen on the road

(Marco Bonarrigo) The Soudal riders (Evenepoel’s team, Cerny has just left) wear a funny collar that serves (let’s say it would serve) to increase their aerodynamics when they are in time trial position. Do they work? Dunno, in cycling fashions come and go.

(Marco Bonarrigo) The athletes who have started up to now use all the same race set-up: time trial bikes with a «normal» front wheel and rear lenticular wheel, the climbers tend to get up on the pedals while the long distance riders try to stay in an aerodynamic position. The uphill «suffering» phase should last between 2′ and more than 3′ depending on the level of the athlete.

(Marco Bonarrigo) Directly from the race sheet, the departure times of the big names. It happens rarely, but here the big favorites leave every few minutes: Evenepoel at 1634, Roglic at 16:35, Kung at 16:36 and Ganna at 1637.

(Marco Bonarrigo) We leave. The time trial that opens the 106th Giro d’Italia and assigns the first pink jersey measures 19.6 kilometres. The first 16.8 courses are flat along the Trabocchi cycle path which runs along the Adriatic, with a slightly contrary wind (at the moment). Then turn left and go up 1,150 meters at an average 5.4% and then 1,700 meters of slight slope. There are two intermediate timing measurements. Assumed for the winner a final time of around 23 minutes.

(Marco Bonarrigo) The strategists of cycling always begin their work by scrutinizing the wind: after days of measurements they decided that today it should blow from the northeast, therefore contrary to the march of the riders at lunchtime, when the first ones set off, and then more lateral (and less annoying) in the afternoon for the big names, with speeds varying between 5 and 10 kilometers per hour depending on the mood of Aeolus. Then the road surface of the Trabocchi cycle path: a greenish bitumen that is smoother but also more slippery than the asphalt to which everyone is used to. And finally the main difficulty: the abrupt change of slope at kilometer 16.8 out of the total 19.6: from flat-flat to uphill that will have to be pedaled in any case with a leg-breaking ratio (58×23 or 25, for those who chew technique), stretched out on handlebar to not lose precious seconds.
Technicians and tacticians have been dissecting the Fossacesia Marina-Ortona which today opens the 106th Giro d’Italia and assigns the first pink jersey. And they foresee (source Marco Pinotti, engineer and ex top-level chronoman) for the strongest 18’30” (approximately) to pedal at 55 per hour along the sea, 2’30” to devour the climb (1,150 metres) and two straight minutes to cover the last 1,700 meters on a slight slope. Twenty-three minutes to turn in the assignment.

In a courageously old-fashioned Giro (73 km against the clock against 22 in the Tour de France and 35 in the Vuelta), today’s time trial is worth a lot. For Filippone Ganna it is a practically unique opportunity to wear the pink jersey and keep it up to the foot of the Gran Sasso, saving in advance the fate of our cycling which on paper will struggle to excel in the coming weeks. For the award-winning couple Evenepoel/Roglic — big favorites for the final victory and top tic toc specialists — it’s an opportunity to flex each other’s muscles, with the Belgian world champion who would like to make the coup (he was among the few to beat Ganna on his turf) and win it, he who does not like to leave anything to anyone. For someone like Dennis and above all for the Swiss Kung, the opportunity for a coup is worth the season. The result of the first exam of the pink jersey degree course will arrive quickly and compressed: Evenepoel leaves at 16.34, Roglic at 16.35 while Ganna closes at 16.37. The detachments will count for little or nothing for the final standings: never like today only winning counts.

Here is a guide to the key stages that can decide the Giro. Attention to the last days of the 106th Giro d’Italia: the mix between unknown climbs and sacred monsters, such as the Gran Sasso and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, and the grand finale with a timed uphill race to the unknown Lussari.

The 8 main stages of the Giro d’Italia 2023: we climb from the 7th, deadly last week

(Gaia Piccardi, sent to Fossacesia) The sea to the right, dark blue and dotted with overflows, must not lead to temptation: no distractions under the aerodynamic helmet, at an average of 50 km per hour, this morning, on the cycle route from Fossacesia to Ortona, the first postcard that the Giro of Italy number 106 ships to the world. It is on this strip of sustainable asphalt, redeveloped for the pink race, that today the jet-man Filippo Ganna will embark on the possible mission of wearing the leader’s jersey, just like in Palermo in 2020 and Turin in 2021, perhaps with the intention to keep it glued to him up to the Gran Sasso (the first real mountain stands out on the horizon, covered in snow like not even at Christmas). HERE the complete article

Today the first stage of the Giro d’Italia 2023: individual time trial (from 1.50 pm) Fossacesia Marina-Ortona of 19.6 km