The Giro remains in Liguria focusing today on Genoa: stage, the second which starts from Albenga for 177 km., completely without difficulties which on paper should not change the small but significant gaps between the favorites set by the team time trial won yesterday from the Australian Orica Green Edge. In the pink jersey is Simon Gerrans, a kangaroo who likes the Sanremo air and who in particular knows the Lungomare Italo Calvino well where in 2012 he burned Cancellara and Nibali, winning the spring classic. Orica, strong in formidable long distance riders such as Michael Matthews and Gerrans himself, has been subscribed to successes in team time trials for some years: it stunned everyone at the 2013 Tour by flying on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice; it was repeated last year at the Giro in the Irish "vernissage" in Belfast.
Alberto Contador's Tinkoff-Saxo finished 7” behind the Australians and wasted no time in accumulating a handful of seconds against his most accredited rivals: six ahead of Aru, brilliant third, with Astana; 13” on Rigoberto Uran, fourth with the Etixx-Quick Step; a good 20” on Richie Porte, protagonist with the Sky – only ninth – of a subdued performance. Pozzovivo did worse than Porte, to quote another Italian with podium ambitions, who finished 2th in the Agr17-La Mondiale 48” behind Orica: he will set off again today for Genoa 41” behind Contador. And that of the Lucan runner is the most surprising negative result on the opening day. But it is too early to draw up rankings. The "fight for pink" has just begun. Contador is the super favourite. But Aru is there. We await Abetone, at the end of the sixth stage, for the first exit polls of the less uncertain Giro.
