05/05/2012

GIRO, 1st stage: good day for Ivan Basso
Encouraging performance in Herning’s time trial. The captain: «I’m happy but the road to Milan is long»



Liquigas-Cannondale can smile after the first stage of Giro d’Italia. The goal of the day for the captain Ivan Basso was to defend himself but, at the end, the result is more than positive: 35th position at 39” from winner Phinney. In respect of the other pretenders to the pink jersey, Basso arrived closed to Kreuziger (+3”) and earned seconds from Schleck (20”), Cunego (24”) and Scarponi (27”).



«I’m happy because get off on the right it’s an encouraging signal for the moral. I thought to lose less seconds as possible and I can be satisfied: I achieved more that I wanted. Anyway, this is not the moment to enthuse: the road to Milan is long and since tomorrow we have to face stages full of pitfalls. It’s easy to lose the seconds earned today. We have to be concentrated, as today: let’s continue so» commented Basso.



The best result of the day, for Liquigas-Cannondale, was achieved by Polish Maciej Bodnar: 15th place at 29” from Phinney.



Tomorrow, second stage of Giro d’Italia, riders will start and will arrive again in Herning: 206 kilometres, on a flat route, with an important factor called wind.