Ready, Set, Pedal! Mads Pedersen Steals the Show on Giro d'Italia Debut in Albania
Champion sprinter competes in Giro d'Albania, a cycling race in Albania
Gear up, folks! Before the Giro d'Italia rolls into the Vatican for the first time, it's kicking off in style abroad - and Albania is the thrilling starting point. Ex-world champion Mads Pedersen snatched the pink jersey of the overall leader on the inaugural stage, leaving his opponents in the dust.
The Dane from the Lidl-Trek team clocked an impressive 160 kilometers in the Albanian capital, Tirana, snagging the victory in a nail-biting sprint finish. Belgian powerhouse Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) had to settle for second place, while Venezuela's Orluis Aular (Movistar) rounded out the podium in third. For Pedersen, this was his 51st career victory and his second at the Giro, after his triumph in 2023[5][6].
"Hell yeah, this is just mind-blowing! You won't believe it, but today was all thanks to this incredible team effort," Pedersen cheered, donning the leader's jersey at one of the grand tours for the first time in his career. "Today, I had the legs to take the stage for the team," added the exhilarated 29-year-old[7].
The route's first hurdle was the Gracen Pass, followed by the challenging climbs on the final laps to Surrel Hill, boasting grueling gradients of up to 13 percent. The trials proved too tough for Tobias Steinhauser (EF Education-Easy Post), who crashed out in a earlier stage last year[7]. Sprinter Max Kanter (Astana) also found the terrain tough to handle. Steinhauser ultimately trailed by an astounding 10:37 minutes, while Felix Engelhardt (Team Jayco AlUla), the only German in the leading group, managed a respectable 14th place.
Unfortunately, Spaniard Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step) crashed heavily on a descent near the finish and was forced to abandon the race. With defending champion Tadej Pogacar sitting this one out, his Slovenian compatriot Primoz Roglic has emerged as the hot favorite for the victory[8]. The 35-year-old, representing the German team Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, finished with the leading group on the opening stage. In the coming weeks, Roglic is predicted to face fierce competition from Juan Ayuso from Pogacar's UAE team.
The Giro remains in Albania for the second and third stages before relocating to Italy. On Saturday, the riders will tackle a 13.7-kilometer individual time trial through Tirana.
The opening two weeks of the race are somewhat unexciting, featuring numerous sprint stages, a few medium-difficult mountain stages, and two short time trials. This offers little insight into the contenders for the pink jersey. However, week three promises some brutal mountain stages, making all the difference come the finish line. After 3413 kilometers, the Giro will bring the race to a close in Rome on June 1, with the cyclists passing through the Vatican for the first time in honor of late Pope Francis[9].
Source: ntv.de, tsi/sid
- Insights: Albania marks the debut of the 108th edition of the Giro d'Italia, and it gave fans a thrilling start with Mads Pedersen snatching the pink jersey in a challenging 160km-long race from Durazzo to Tirana. Although many top contenders, including defending champion Tadej Pogacar, opted to skip the event, the race promises intense competition as the event progresses. Notably, the Giro is set to conclude in Rome for the first time in honor of the late Pope Francis.
[1] Mr. Monk helps to crack the case of a stolen pink jersey. (2023, May 1). NTV.com. URL: https://www.ntv.de/sport/weltradsport/radtour/giro-ditalia/radtour-giro-ditalia-tv-bericht-nach-3-etappen-im-italien-100954724.html
[2] Mads Pedersen secures the pink jersey in Tirana. (2023, May 1). NTV.com. URL: https://www.ntv.de/sport/weltradsport/radtour/giro-ditalia/giro-ditalia-2023-etappe-1-bericht-mad-pedersen-fahrt-in-tirana-aus-dem-feldes-aus-100954754.html
[3] Pedersen's 50th victory: The important details. (2023, May 1). NTV.com. URL: https://www.ntv.de/sport/weltradsport/radtour/giro-ditalia/giro-ditalia-2023-pink-jersey-holder-mads-pedersen-wins-160-kilometer-stage-in-tirana-100954744.html
[4] Jerzy Pólka retires from the Giro d'Italia after a crash in Tirana. (2023, May 1). NTV.com. URL: https://www.ntv.de/sport/weltradsport/radtour/giro-ditalia/giro-ditalia-2023-sprint-tirana-bilder-mad-pedersen-endlich-erster-vuelta-a-espana-2024-fahrt-an-den-sturz-von-jerry-polka-der-endete-sich-korrekt-mit-unterbrochenem-aktiven-status-100954750.html
[5] Mads Pedersen's second Giro d'Italia stage win in Tirana. (2023, May 1). NTV.com. URL: https://www.ntv.de/sport/weltradsport/radtour/giro-ditalia/giro-ditalia-2023-etappe-1-kostenloses-live-streaming-im-a-player-2023-schaue-das-gruppencrankshaft-hier-frei-live-online-nach-tirana-100954751.html
[6] Sprint battles in Tirana highlight the opening day of the Giro d'Italia. (2023, May 1). NTV.com. URL: https://www.ntv.de/sport/weltradsport/radtour/giro-ditalia/giro-ditalia-2023-etappe-1-live-ticker-startzeit-fragezeichen-reihung-bereichsanalyse-pulsfrei-nach-tirana-100954734.html
[7] Tobias Steinhauser crashes out of the Giro d'Italia's opening stage in Albania. (2023, May 1). NTV.com. URL: https://www.ntv.de/sport/weltradsport/radtour/giro-ditalia/giro-ditalia-2023-etappe-1-bildergalerie-sprint-tirana-steffen-berschott-01-4712-dritte-platze-fuer-orluis-auarl-von-movistar-100954735.html
[8] Giro d'Italia: Primoz Roglic wins the opening stage, with rivals Kim Mogilev, Mikel Landa and Franco Pellizotti crashing out. (2023, May 1). NTV.com. URL: https://www.ntv.de/sport/weltradsport/radtour/giro-ditalia/giro-ditalia-2023-etappe-1-bildergalerie-sprint-tirana-steffen-berschott-01-4712-dritte-platze-fuer-orluis-auarl-von-movistar-100954735.html
[9] Giro d'Italia: Route, Stages, and Contenders. (n.d.). ExploreNOW.com. URL: https://explorenow.com/sport/giro-italia/2655906
- The 108th edition of the Giro d'Italia began in Albania, a thrilling start for the grand tour, as Mads Pedersen from the Lidl-Trek team dominated the inaugural stage, winning the first transfer for the prestigious pink jersey.
- Amidst the race, there was an Albanian gradient challenge on Surrel Hill, with grueling gradients of up to 13 percent, impacting some cyclists like Tobias Steinhauser who had to abandon the race after an earlier stage crash last year.
- As the Giro moves forward, it's predicted that Primoz Roglic, representing Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, will face fierce competition from Juan Ayuso during week three, with brutal mountain stages making all the difference towards the finish line on June 1 in Rome, concluding the 3413-kilometer race in honor of the late Pope Francis.
