Giro d'Italia: Pedersen wins, but Landa crashes at the opening level in Tirana | Giro d'Italia

The former world champion of Denmark, Mads Pedersen, has equipped Wout van Aert in a Bunch sprint to win the opening level of Giro d'Italia in Tirana, but Mikel Landa had to leave the race after the finish line after a crash of five kilometers.

Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) was perfectly positioned by his teammates for the climax in the Albanian capital and held the Belgium van Aert to become the first driver and the first dane-das pink jersey of the overall leader this year. Venezuelas Orluis Aular (Movistar) was third on the line.

“Winning the stage and going to the Pink jersey is absolutely fantastic, especially after teamwork like this,” said Pedersen, who won the World Load Center in England in 2019.

“You always have to be afraid of Wout, he is a really good cyclist. It is not a self -image to win when he is in a group, and you have to deal with respect and a little fear. But today I had my legs to end it for the team.”

Van Aert was frustrated that he could not mark his Giro d'Italia debut by winning the first stage. “There are only a few ways to take the pink jersey. So I really wanted to try it – the last climb I suffered so much to just stick to it,” he said. “So it's a shame to take second place, but it's still better than expected.”

Landa, a three -time stage winner in the Giro, who took third place in 2015 and 2022, crashed on the outskirts of Tirana on the outskirts of Tirana when the peloton landed. The 35-year-old Soudal Quick-Step driver was taken from the course on a stretcher.

“After the accident that ended his dreams in the Giro, our driver was taken to the hospital,” said his team on X.

His crash on the opening day was among several when Juan Ayuso from the VAE team Emirates, one of the leading candidates for the race, crashed early in a roundabout. The Spaniard was unharmed and in the backpack together with the favorite of Race, Primoz Roglic.

Two other drivers expected to challenge themselves Maglia Rosa -Derek Gee (Israel Prime Minister Tech) and Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) lost time on a punishment day.