Mathieu van der Poel claimed the Maglia Rosa in his debut at the 2022 Giro d’Italia in a stage where he was a strong favorite. He powered to victory at Visegrad in a hard-fought finale, beating Eritrean sensation Biniam Grmay, also making his debut at the Corsa Rosa.
Spain’s Pello Bilbao made the podium after Caleb Ewan went down while sprinting for the top 3. Van Der Poel will defend his lead in the individual time trial at Budapest.
“The sprint went as I expected but if I could do it again, I’d position myself differently,” said Van Der Poel at the finish. “It was not ideal and I got boxed in, so I had to go around the bunch. But I stayed calm and I timed my sprint perfectly. I had no energy left to put my hands up in the air. I’m really happy to take the win. I’m used to being the favorite so I was pretty relaxed before the race. Today was a unique opportunity for me to get the Maglia Rosa. A few months ago, I decided to go for the Giro because Stage 1 was something that would really suit me. It’ll be difficult to keep the lead after the time trial. I’ll try but I’m already happy with what I’ve done today.”
Biniam Grmay, meanwhile, trod new ground as the first Eritrean rider to place in the top 3 of a stage at the Giro d’Italia. Previously, two of his compatriots made the top 10 of a stage: Amanuel Gebreigzabhier at Madonna di Campiglio in 2020 and Natnael Tesfatsion at Stradella last year.
Girmay said: “This was my first stage in my first Grand Tour, so I’m super happy with this result. My team was super good today. They really protected me. We are a very strong team in this Giro. I came here to win and today, we almost won. The white jersey is a great satisfaction.”
2022 Giro d’Italia: Stage 1 Brief Results
- Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) – 195 km in 4h’35’28″, average speed 42.473 km/h
- Biniam Girmay (Intermarchè-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) s.t.
- Pello Bilbao Lopez de Armentia (Bahrain Victorious) s.t.
General Classification After Stage 1
- Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix)
- Biniam Girmay (Intermarchè-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux) at 4”
- Pello Bilbao Lopez de Armentia (Bahrain Victorious) at 6”.
Jerseys:
- Maglia Rosa, leader of the General Classification, sponsored by Enel – Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix)
- Maglia Ciclamino, leader of the Points Classification, dedicated to ‘Made in Italy’ – Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) – worn by Pello Bilbao Lopez de Armentia (Bahrain Victorious)
- Maglia Azzurra, leader of the Gran Premio della Montagna (KOM), sponsored by Banca Mediolanum – Mathieu Van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) – worn by Magnus Cort Nielsen (EF Education-
Easypost) - Maglia Bianca, Best Young Rider, sponsored by Intimissimi Uomo – Biniam Girmay (Intermarchè-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux)
Tomorrow’s Stage
Stage 2, Budapest – Budapest, Tissot ITT, 9.2km long.
A short ITT, on wide and well-paved urban roads travels 9.2km through Budapest. Starting from the Heroes’ Square, the route heads towards the Danube, which separates the two souls of the city. Taking in several bends, the course reaches the riverside, passes the Neo-Gothic Parliament and crosses the Danube to roll along the opposite bank. The route takes two u-turns, the first upward and the second downward, approaching and leaving the river bank on the Parliament’s side. Moving away from the river, the route takes in the closing climb.
Ron is the chief cook and bottlewasher at Bike World News, doing everything from website design to bike reviews.
Websites:
Bike World News
Ron’s Bike Garage
Current Bike Quiver:
Bird Bikes Zero 29 29″ hardtail mountain bike
Commencal Absolut 26″ Dirt Jump/Pump Track bike
Commencal Tempo 29″ full suspension mountain bike
Felt ZA 700c race bike
Kona Kilauea vintage 26″ mountain bike
Niner RLT9 700c road/gravel bike
Specialized Stumpjumper vintage 26″ mountain bike
Day Job: Digital Marketing
Night Job: Digital Marketing, eCommerce Consultant, Web Consultant, Bike Shop Operator, Husband, Dad, Tenor