Giro d’Italia Stage 1: Tom Dumoulin takes win and early lead in Jerusalem

Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) won the opening 9.7km time trial in the Giro d’Italia, edging out Rohan Dennis (BMC) by two seconds. Chris Froome (Team Sky) could only finish 21^st, 37s adrift, having crashed heavily earlier in the day during a recon ride.

Riding in the rainbow jersey as world time trial champion, the defending champion put significant time into many of his rivals at the earliest opportunity.

He is the first rider since Paolo Savoldelli (2005-06) to win a Giro and start the following one by immediately taking the maglia rosa.

@tom_dumoulin wins the historical ITT in Jerusalem and is the first Maglia Rosa of #Giro101 | @tom_dumoulin vince la storica crono di Gerusalemme ed è la prima Maglia Rosa del #Giro101 pic.twitter.com/zHjt2jA0UD

— Giro d'Italia (@giroditalia) May 4, 2018

Dumoulin said: “This is all I wished – the win and quite a lot of time on the other GC riders. I knew I was ready for the Giro but I wasn't sure I'd win today. The course was hard but absolutely perfect for me.”

Earlier in the day, Froome fell heavily during a recon ride and could be seen limping in the immediate aftermath.

 

A post shared by Renaat Schotte (@wielerman) on May 4, 2018 at 5:18am PDT

He was beaten by two fellow Britons and while it was no great surprise that Alex Dowsett should finish fifth, Simon Yates will no doubt be delighted with his seventh place, 20s down on Dumoulin.