Dream start at Tirreno-Adriatico
07 March 2013

Tirreno-Adriatico (st. 1)

Excellent 2nd spot for Movistar Team at the TTT opening the Italian race, with only world champions Omega beating the Blue squad

It was an excellent start for the Movistar Team riders taking part in the 48th Tirreno-Adriatico, the WorldTour even starting today in Tuscay with a 17km team time trial from San Vicenzo to Donoratico. The telephone squad did a brilliant effort under relentless rain, with only TTT world champions Omega Pharma-Quick Step being able to beat the Blues by 11 seconds, coming together into the finish with no less than seven riders –only Fran Ventoso got dropped-.

The result by Movistar Team is even more valuable due to the strong lineups by all big teams in this year’s ‘Corsa dei Due Mari’, with Briton Mark Cavendish taking the first leader jersey and the seven Movistar Team riders together at the finish in 6th to 12th place -in order: Visconti, Intxausti, Amador, Castroviejo, Capecchi, Dowsett and Cobo-. A sprinters’ stage of 232km will be held tomorrow from San Vincenzo to Indicatore during day two in Italy.

REACTION / Eusebio Unzué“We must be really, really happy with this result. Full satisfaction doesn’t really come when you get second, so close to the winners, but the riders’ field was so strong here. We knew before the start what we could end up within the best ten squads if we had a good day and we were confident enough that it could even get us to the day’s podium. But looking at the teams’ lineups, the difference between 3rd and 10th was really short. All of the guys were at an excellent level during the TT. We had an early start, but we relied on the time checks by Orica and when we saw the intermediate time, I already knew we were doing our really best. We were within the best in the last three TTT’s we rode -winners in the Vuelta a España, 5th in the Worlds, 2nd here-, and that’s a huge moral boost to keep progressing into a discipline that is so important right now. This roster is 80% of the final Giro lineup and it’s important for them all to compete together on these roads and get to know the king of racing they’ll find here. They all are strong right now, but will have to progress until May.”