Giro d’Italia stage 1 Live – Puncheur opener to the hardest Grand Tour

And the battle for those points will begin shortly – they’re just about to start climbing the Superga hill.

70KM TO GO

Now 2-30 for the break. This is looking better for their chances of picking up the remaining KOM points. 

For now, though, the pace in the peloton is benign, and the break has managed to extend their lead back to over two minutes again. 

75KM TO GO

Less than 10km now until they start climbing the next climb, the Superga, where things could start to get very interesting. This is longer and more difficult than the previous climb, and though it’s too early for attacks, we could start seeing teams with designs on both GC and the stage win start to up the pace.

Fiorelli and Calmejane are bickering about something, as they wait for the other four to rejoin them after being distanced in that sprint. They don’t seem especially happy – they will surely have hoped to have had a bigger gap than the mere 1-30 they currently have over the peloton.

Groves takes the remaining points uncontested. Clearly the Australian is eying up the Maglia Ciclamino, despite a lack of form so far this season.

Interestingly, Alpecin-Deceuninck have taken over control of the peloton, and seem to be leading out Groves for some Points Classification points.

…and Fiorelli wins this one too ahead of Calmejane. That earns them ponts in both the Intermediate Sprints classification, and the Points Classification.

Fiorelli sprints for this one too…

The leading sextet have something else to go for in a few kilometres – the first intermediate sprint of the race. 

Here are the six riders in the breakaway.

90KM TO GO

The break have regrouped together again now, and all the action has seen their lead grow to nearly 2-30. 

Pietrobon’s move saw Debeaumarché dropped, and Calmejane was distanced near the top, leaving it to the other four to sprint. Fiorelli claimed the maximum 3 points, with 2 going to Barré and 1 for Ghebreigzabhier.

Fiorelli wins the sprint for the maximum points.

Pietrobon makes the first move, 400m from the top.

No movement yet from anyone in the break. They are waiting for the summit to sprint it out for the points.

The six riders in the break are on the climb now.

The first climb of the day, Berzano di San Pietro, is not too far away now, coming in less than 10km. It’s only a category four, but will likely be hotly contested in the break with a first King of the Mountains jersey and a place on the podium at the end of the day up for grabs. To do so, however, they will need to still be still out there come the two other climbers later in the stage, which right now is looking unlikely.

100KM TO GO

Still only 1-15 for the break. UAE Team Emirates seem happy to let them stay out for now, but with virtually no hope of still being there come the finish.

A first glimpse of Tadej Pogačar out on the road at the Giro d’Italia.

UAE Team Emirates might be leading the peloton, but Ineos Grenadiers want to exercise some authority too, and have most of their riders together right towards the front. The British team has been reluctant to relinquish their patron status despite a decline in results in recent years, and they already seem to be making a statement to UAE that they believe they can take on Pogačar.

110KM TO GO

That freedom might be enough to get them in the break, but it’s unlikely to amount to competing for the stage win. Their lead has actually come down to an even smaller 1-15 in recent kilometres. 

It’s no surprise to see representatives from the wildcard teams VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè and Polti Kometa in the break, nor Arkéa B&B Hotels or Cofidis given the lack of an obvious leader in either of their line-ups. But Intermarché – Wanty and Lidl-Trek are not teams you’d expect to target the breakaways, given their respective big name sprinters Biniam Girmay and Jonathan Milan. The implication seems to be that their domestiques will have some freedom to ride for themselves.

The peloton also has to be careful going around it, but no fallers thankfully. 

A bit of a dodgy moment for the break, who have to check themselves ahead of some road furniture while rounding a corner. Opening stages of Grand Tours are notorious for crashes, so fingers crossed everyone can come through this one unscathed.

120KM TO GO

UAE Team Emirates are keeping the break’s lead pegged at about 1-30 for now. Even at this early stage they’re unwilling to give an inch. 

UAE Team Emirates have taken control at the front of the peloton. We can expect to see this a lot throughout the race, as rarely will other teams feel obliged to work considering the overwhelming favourite status of their leader Tadej Pogačar.

Here are the huge crowds that saw the Giro off at Venaria Reale. Fans have continued to dot the roadisde since then. The Giro remains as popular as ever!

Here are the six riders in the break:

Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Lidl-Trek)

Lilian Calmejane (Intermarché – Wanty)

Louis Barré (Arkéa B&B Hotels)

Nicolas Debeaumarché (Cofidis)

Filippo Fiorelli (VF Group – Bardiani CSF – Faizanè)

Andrea Pietrobon (Polti Kometa)

Over a minute now for the six out front – it seems we have our break of the day. That wasn’t too long a battle to form it, but considering the reluctance to be in the day’s break we’ve seen during the opening week of recent Grand Tours, it was relatively competitive.

This might be it now. The peloton has slowed again, and nobody else is attacking.

130KM TO GO

The leading six have 18 seconds on the peloton. The peloton hasn’t calmed down yet, though, so they could still be brought back.

There are still some riders and teams unhappy with the situation, though. Three riders attack out of the peloton, but are brought back.

They’ve been joined by one other rider, and the peloton already seems to be easing up.

Now we have a group of five with a small gap, following a move instigated by Andrea Pietrobon and Louis Barré.

Four riders try to get away, but aren’t being allowed by the peloton, which is full of riders who look interesed in being part of the day’s break. 

Lots of riders massed at the front looking at each other for now, with no committed moved being made yet.

137KM TO GO

The flag is waved, and the 107th Giro d’Italia is officially underway.

The sun is shining on the Giro, which will be greatly welcomed by the riders, especially considering some of the bleak, cold conditions many have raced in this spring.

The race is set to begin imminently! The riders are making their way through the neutralised zone in Venaria Reale, our first glimpse of the unrivalled beautiful scenes that Italy can always be relied upon.

Before we get too wrapped up in the big picture of the race for the overall classification, let’s consider the short-term matter of the stage win, and first pink jersey, up for grabs today. Although there are some late climbs to keep the GC contender alert, it’s more for the puncheurs rather than the climbers.

Of course, as well as being arguably the best Grand Tour rider in the peloton, Pogačar is also in consideration for being the world’s best puncheur, as his performances in the classics demonstrate, so he’s already in the mix for a stage win, and some gained time.

As for the rest of the field, there are plenty of stars present, from old heads such as Romain Bardet and Damiano Caurso, to rising talents like Cian Uijtdebroeks and Antonio Tiberi. Have a look at how we rate all the top favourites’ chances.

There aren’t any riders here with the Grand Tour credentials to match Pogačar’s, but the one who comes closest is Geraint Thomas. The Welsheman has unfinished business at the Giro having come so close to winning twelve months ago, and says he wouldn’t be riding if he felt it was not possible to do so this year.

It’s difficult to remember the last time a rider began a Grand Tour as such an overwhelming favourite as Tadej Pogačar is for this one. The talk hasn’t so much been about if he will win the pink jersey, but things like how many stages he will win doing so, and whether he can hold the pink jersey from start to finish.

After weeks of anticipation and build-up, it’s time for the real business to begin – the 107th edition of the Giro d’Italia starts here! We’re set for three weeks of daily action of some of the most exciting, dramatic cycling, beginning here in Piedmont.

Buongiorno and welcome to our live coverage of stage 1 of the 2024 Giro d’Italia!