Stage 1

The road

At the start

Turin, and a Giro that starts uphill

No prologue, no bunch sprint: 143 kilometres over the Superga, the Colle Maddalena and a last ramp at San Vito, all inside the closing sixty-five. Tadej Pogačar starts his Giro debut as the most overwhelming favourite in years, with Primož Roglič and Remco Evenepoel both staying away and the Tour already pencilled in for July. Geraint Thomas, second a year ago, leads the resistance. Pink is on offer today.

How it was won

1. 160 km to go

   Race on at the Superga

   As the peloton hits the Superga above Turin, UAE Team Emirates sweep to the front in formation and the tempo lifts — the gentle opening is over and the finale has begun.

2. 225 km to go

   The Colle Maddalena thins the herd

   On the Colle Maddalena a fierce UAE pace shreds the bunch to forty riders, catching out Arensman and Girmay and forcing Bardet to fight back on.

3. 315 km to go

   Chasers slip away

   With 15km to go a group led by Schachmann and Conci jumps clear, and with only Majka to work, Pogačar has to let them dangle and wait for the last climb.

4. 43 km to go

   Pogačar lights up San Vito

   The instant the steep San Vito ramp bites, three kilometres from home, Pogačar attacks and blows the race apart, hoovering up the escapees. Only Jhonatan Narváez, buried on his wheel and refusing to lead, can survive the assault.

5. 5At the line

   Narváez pips the maglia rosa

   Pogačar opens his sprint too early on the rise to the line and Narváez comes off his wheel to snatch the biggest win of his career and the first pink jersey of the Giro.

The result