Marco Pinotti may have been the one to take the race lead, but British rider Mark Cavendish and his HTC Highroad team-mates were also extremely happy at the end of the opening day of the Giro d’Italia. Victory in the team time trial by ten seconds over closest rivals Team RadioShack was decisive, and the American squad has started the race in the best way possible.
“It is incredible. We said on Thursday that we can win here,” he said in a video interview with VeloNation after the podium presentation. “The team went perfectly in training and straight away I said that if we got things 100 percent right, we will win on Saturday. The guys were incredible today. I was so proud to be part of that team.”
Cavendish was first across the line two years ago, taking the pink jersey then when the team also won. This time round, HTC Highroad decided beforehand that Pinotti should be the one to have the honour; he’s a big favourite with the fans and, being Italian, his time in the Maglia Rosa will be a popular one.
However Cavendish played down suggestions that nominating Pinotti to wear the first pink jersey was a way for the team to say thanks to a rider who often works for others on the team.
“I don’t think it is paying back. Marco Pinotti is Italian champion, and a favourite of the Tifosi. It makes sense for him to wear it. He always works hard for the team, but everyone works hard for each other on the team. The most important thing is that we won the stage and the Italian champion is in the pink jersey today.”
Tomorrow’s stage to Parma is flat, featuring just one category four climb, and is predicted to end in a bunch sprint. If Cavendish triumphs, he’ll take over at the top of the general classification. He said prior to the race that anything less than a stage win would constitute a failure for him; he’ll seek to clock that up as soon as possible, further taking the pressure off the team.