In the first stage of the Giro d’Italia, Jhonatan Narvaez of Ineos Grenadiers secured victory as Tadej Pogacar made a late attack that left the race contenders scrambling to keep up. Pogacar’s explosive move on the final climb, with assistance from his UAE Team Emirates teammates, shattered the peloton and dropped riders like Romain Bardet and Thymen Arensmen. Only Rafal Majka was able to stay with Pogacar at the front, allowing a small group, including Bora-Hansgrohe’s Max Schachmann, to break away.
Pogacar pushed the pace on the final steep climb, with only Narvaez and Schachmann able to match his speed in the final kilometers. In a close sprint finish, Narvaez overtook Pogacar to take the stage victory, with Schachmann coming in second. Despite a challenging start to the season, Ineos is showing signs of improvement with Narvaez’s win and Geraint Thomas finishing in the main group. Other GC contenders like Dani Martinez, Cian Uijtdebroeks, and Ben O’Connor also maintained their positions in the reduced peloton.
The stage was marked by a breakaway early on led by Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier and Lilian Calmejane, with Calmejane eventually dropping his rival to take the king of the mountains jersey. The peloton caught up, and Schachmann’s group broke away as the race favorites battled for position. Bardet and Arensman, who had shown promise leading into the Giro, struggled and fell behind, losing significant time to the leaders.
The GC battle is now wide open, with Alex Baudin taking the white jersey for best young rider. The riders face a tougher Stage 2, with another hilly route from San Francesco al Campo to Santuario di Oropa. The race promises more excitement as the riders navigate challenging terrain and fierce competition. Fans can watch the action live on discovery+.
Overall, Stage 1 of the Giro d’Italia showcased the strength and tactical savvy of Tadej Pogacar and Ineos Grenadiers, with Jhonatan Narvaez emerging as a surprise victor. The race saw key GC contenders like Romain Bardet and Thymen Arensman struggle, while others like Geraint Thomas and Dani Martinez held their ground. The breakaway early in the stage added an additional layer of excitement, with Calmejane ultimately claiming the king of the mountains jersey. The unpredictable nature of the race sets the stage for an intense battle for the overall victory in the days to come.
