CYCLING – TEAM Bahrain Victorious’ Robert Stannard was their best finisher yesterday in the first of 21 stages in the 109th Giro d’Italia in Italy.
The gruelling event is the first of three grand tours this international cycling season, and it is set to cover 3,470 kilometres and 47,539 metres of elevation until May 31.
Stannard was 14th yesterday in a crash-marred finale at the end of 147km of racing. All of his teammates finished safely, with Santiago Buitrago taking 43rd, Edoardo Zambanini going 44th, Damiano Caruso finishing 74th, Fran Miholjevic in 92nd, Alec Segaert in 93rd, Afonso Eulalio in 118th, and Mathijs Paasschens in 156th.
Stannard was also the team’s leading competitor in the general classification after the opening leg in 17th. Zambanini, meanwhile, was 14th in the best young rider rankings.
The race continues today with stage two, set to cover 221km – the second-longest distance on this year’s route.
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