Filippo Ganna of Ineos Grenadiers lived up to his status as pre-race favourite, securing victory in the opening stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico with a commanding performance in the 11.5km time trial. Held in the picturesque Tuscan resort of Lido di Camaiore near Pisa, Ganna completed the course in 12:17, setting a time that was well ahead of his rivals.
For much of the early session, the hot seat was held by Johan Price-Pejtersen, a Danish rider from Alpecin-Deceuninck. Starting in 19th place, Price-Pejtersen posted an impressive time of 12:45, which stood firm as the fastest until the big contenders began their runs. The former Under-23 time trial world champion was ousted only when the top riders, including Juan Ayuso (UAE-Team Emirates), started to finish. Ayuso, a strong contender and the 12th-last rider to depart, clocked in at 12:40, a time that briefly held second place.
Ganna, starting just behind Ayuso, showed his trademark ability to ride negative splits. He was only two seconds behind Ayuso at the first time check, but as the race progressed, Ganna’s pace accelerated. By the finish, he had created a significant gap, leaving Ayuso 23 seconds behind.
Reflecting on his victory, Ganna attributed part of his success to the emotions he experienced during the race. “After nine years of riding Tirreno Adriatico, I have a little bit of experience,” Ganna said. “Towards the end, a bit of emotion also helped me push harder and beat such a strong rider like Juan Ayuso, who won here last year.”
The Italian also remarked on leaving behind a challenging 2024 season. “I’ve left a difficult 2024 behind me,” he added, signaling his optimism for the year ahead.
Ganna’s win at Lido di Camaiore marks his 27th career time trial victory and comes as a timely payback for the 2024 edition of the same stage, where he narrowly lost to Ayuso by just one second. The victory also provides a strong start to his season, as Ganna didn’t record his first win in 2024 until mid-May.
The race continues tomorrow with a 192km stage from Camaiore to Follonica. The route is expected to feature one smaller climb mid-way through the stage, with a bunch sprint or a breakaway likely to decide the outcome.
Tirreno-Adriatico, Stage One Results (Lido di Camaiore > Lido di Camaiore, 11.5km)
- Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers – 12:17
- Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE-Team Emirates-XRG – +23s
- Johan Price-Pejtersen (Den) Alpecin-Deceuninck – +28s
- Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain Victorious – +29s
- Jonathan Milan (Ita) Lidl-Trek – +31s
- Derek Gee (Can) Israel-Premier Tech – +34s
- Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Soudal-Quick Step – +36s
- Søren Wærenskjold (Nor) Uno-X Mobility – +37s
- Isaac Del Toro (Ita) UAE-Team Emirates-XRG – +38s
- Kevin Vauquelin (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels – +41s
General Classification after Stage One
- Filippo Ganna (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers – 12:17
- Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE-Team Emirates-XRG – +23s
- Johan Price-Pejtersen (Den) Alpecin-Deceuninck – +28s
- Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain Victorious – +29s
- Jonathan Milan (Ita) Lidl-Trek – +31s
- Derek Gee (Can) Israel-Premier Tech – +34s
- Mattia Cattaneo (Ita) Soudal-Quick Step – +36s
- Søren Wærenskjold (Nor) Uno-X Mobility – +37s
- Isaac Del Toro (Ita) UAE-Team Emirates-XRG – +38s
- Kevin Vauquelin (Fra) Arkéa-B&B Hotels – +41s
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