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Klöden wins Trentino opener
Andreas Klöden (Astana) is back in the winner’s circle for the second time this season after taking a narrow, one-second victory over teammate Janez Brajkovic in Wednesday’s opening time trial at the Giro del Trentino.
Astana went one-two on a mostly flat, but technically challenging 17.5km course near Lago di Garda in northern Italy to open the four-day Trentino tour.
Klöden, winner of a time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico in March, covered the course in 18 minutes, 21 seconds (53.292kph) to secure the victory and snatch the overall leader’s jersey.
Brajkovic, a U23 world TT champion in 2004, just missed his first victory since claiming the 2007 Tour de Georgia by one click of the second hand. Andrei Grivko (ISD) stopped the clock third at seven second slower.
The Astana pair gained some important time on GC rivals ahead of Thursday’s 141km second stage finishing atop Alpe di Pampeago (7.7km at 9.9 percent).
Stefano Garzelli (Acqua e Sapone) stopped the clock at 26 seconds off the pace with Ivan Basso (Liquigas) at 50 seconds slower. Gilberto Simoni (Diquigiovanni) was 1:17 slower while Danilo Di Luca (LPR) was 1:23 slower.
