After an opening day full of change and danger, yesterday in
Belfast was wet and grim, but lit up by fantastic support and a collectively
enlightened peloton deciding to take a sensible pace into the incredibly risky
90 degree final turn that led out into the finishing straight for yesterday’s
first road stage of the Giro.
After the excellent Martin Tjallingii was reeled in with
3.5km to go, full control of the leadout was almost impossible but it made no
difference as Marcel Kittel turned on the power early and came home three bike
lengths clear of Nacer Bouhanni, Giacomo Nizzolo, and Elia Viviani in a bunch
finish with Ben Swift also close up, and Michael Matthews now leading the race
thanks to a split in the bunch.
Today’s stage, which crosses from County Armagh into County
Lough, taking us into Ireland, should end in another sprint with a lumpy
profile likely to see a break go but a flat second half of the race looking set
up for the sprint trains to bring any effort back before a finish at the Mall in
Armagh that has just as many turns in the last KM’s as yesterday, which brings
with it all the same dangers for those to negotiate, although they found their
way to the finish around the danger turn today and even on another wet track,
it’s hoped that they’ll find their way to the finish.
Marcel Kittel showed why he will be so hard to beat
yesterday, when his leadout was jumped by FDJ and disappointed late only for
him to dominate the short sprint, and if in a position to strike, he should be
good enough again to take his second stage on the bounce. Nacer Bouhanni held
off Nizzolo for second and could be his closest rival once again, although 2nd
to seventh look very closely matched and the 14’s Paddy Power dangle about Elia
Viviani is tempting enough for an each/way bet. Viviani was just fourth
yesterday but with the leading contenders so easily bunched it’s a surprise to
see such a difference in opinion and he looks worth chancing with ¼ for three
each/way places.
Advice
1 pt each/way Elia Viviani (14/1 Paddy Power)
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