Tirreno-Adriatico stage 1: Filippo Ganna powers to win and into leader’s jersey

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) rode into the lead of the 2022 Tirreno-Adriatico, covering the 14km pan-flat course — with barely 3m of elevation gain — in just 15:17, at an average speed of 54.6kph.

“I wanted to do well today because this is a very important race for me and for the team. Tomorrow there is a stage for sprinters and we will see if I will be able to defend this Maglia Azzurra,” Ganna said.

The world time trial champion pushed past the mid-course time check nine seconds faster than any other rider when he came through, and ultimately won by 11 seconds ahead of Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl).

Evenepoel covered the front half of the course two seconds slower than Ganna, and rode the back half home an additional nine seconds back.

Defending champion Tadej Pogačar ceded just seven seconds to the Belgian Evenepoel, setting up the GC battle for the week.

Alex Dowsett (Israel-Premier Tech) had posted the fastest time of the day, and sat in the “hot seat” for a long while until Evenepoel’s teammate Kasper Asgreen sprinted out of the saddle on his time trial bike to roll through the finish line about a second faster than the former world hour record holder.

But Asgreen’s time in the “hot seat” was short-lived, and as Ganna roared past his one-minute-man in the first half of the route, it was clear the big Italian was on a mission to erase the memories of last year’s Tirreno-Adriatico time trial where he finished in third place.

Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) appeared to be recovering well from his spectacular crash at the Strade Bianche two days previous, and ultimately finished in 32nd place, some 58 seconds back.

Ganna commented that he’s looking way ahead to Milan-San Remo in two weeks’ time.

“At the moment it’s a good time gap but tomorrow is a hard day with a sprint and we’ll see how it concerns the jersey,” he said. “We need to save a little energy because in less than two weeks we have a special race in Italy, and I want to arrive with good legs.”