CyclingRevealed's Giro Perspective

Prologue - May 7th, Reggio Calabria, 1.150 km Individual Time Trial

The Most Beautiful Kilometer

The Giro d'Italia takes its start in the sea side resort of Reggio Calabria with the 1.15 km prologue time trial. This lovely City at the southern most end (the toe) of Italy's boot presents many historical, architectural and cultural points of interest as well as fabulous Mediterranean beaches and streets lined with Palm trees. Italian poet and novelist Gabriele d'Annunzio described Reggio Calabria as “the most beautiful kilometer in Italy.”

Reggio Calabria's beach along the Straits of Messina (Image by Jesse Andrews, ItalianVisit.com)

The 1.15 km prologue is flat and very fast. The shortness of the course along the Straits of Messina will lend itself to the powerful sprinters or track riders. I order to capture the primetime TV audience the first rider went off at 18:46 (6:46PM), with the last rider, defending champion Damiano Cunego, scheduled at 22:14 (10:14PM).

The early lead was taken by Australian track rider Brett Lancaster. The two-time World and defending Olympic pursuit champion powered across the 1.15 km course in 1'20.958” to beat Matteo Tosatto and Alessandro Petacchi by less than a second.

Prologue winner Brett Lancaster [ Images ©: www.gazzetta.it ] .

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