Enrico Gasparotto is the first rider to wear the pink jersey after the first stage of this year’s Giro d'Italia on Saturday.

This was not the usual, meaningless, individual time trial (ITT) prologue, it was a hilly and nervous team time trial (TTT) that ran 25 km through the landscape of the islands of Caprera and La Maddalena in northern Sardinia, but let’s take a look at how the favourites performed:

Who gained from the first stage?

- Danilo Di Luca is the man who came out on top of Saturday’s stage out the bunch of expected to feature in the race. His team won the TTT and even if he didn’t get to wear the pink jersey he is going to be pretty satisfied with his effort. “Killer” actually said after the race that he was not upset with his teammates, even if at the end of the stage he shouted unrepeatable abuse at them.

- Paolo Savoldelli and his Astana team are probably the biggest surprise of the day. Nobody was expecting the Swiss-based team to fare so well in the TTT because apart from Savoldelli there were no time trial specialists. But the “Hawk” knew how to get the best out of his teammates and they finished just 13 seconds behind Liquigas.

- Damiano Cunego and his Lampre team had an extraordinary day, arriving only 42 seconds behind Di Luca. The “Little Prince's” weaknesses are in the time trials but he found great support in his teammates first of all in Italian ITT champion Marzio Bruseghin.

Who lost out?

- Stefano Garzelli and his Acqua & Sapone. Many were expecting a good TTT from Garzelli and his teammates but they lost over a minute, even if they did manage to finish in sixth place.

- Yaroslav Popovych of the Discovery Channel team was in line to finish third in the TTT when with less than a kilometre to go he took a right turn too quickly and touched the brakes causing him to fall straight onto the tarmac. That cost the Discovery men at least 20-25 seconds which is why they finished 49 seconds off the Liquigas pace.

- The man who lost more time, and as well confidence, in the first stage was undoubtly Gilberto Simoni. His Saunier Duval team crossed the line one minute, 25 seconds  behind Di Luca and “Gibo” admitted that they lost 25 seconds more than they expected, hence he’ll probably try something at Montevergine in the fourth stage. I’m ready to bet on it.

Sunday's second stage is not an easy one, with a tricky climb in the final 20 kilometres so a mass sprint should not be taken for granted.

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