Turin (AP) – On the well-trodden streets of Turin, Emanuel Buchman began the 104th Giro d’Italia with a handicapped man almost.

For the first German podium placement in the history of the tour, the carrier of hope had to lose a total of 55 seconds on the day of the Italian winner and for world champion Filippo Cane, which was over 8.6 kilometers in the opening time trial and thus only 104th. Stayed at the location. Even compared to his rivals in the overall standings, Buchman lost a few seconds, which he now has to make in the mountains.

The loss came as no surprise, as a 59-kg surge specialist is a good time trial. For this reason, Buchmann does not start the low mountain tour de France in the summer. The loss of seconds hurts anyway: Belgian rider Remco Evenoffel (0:19 minutes ago), Simon Yates (Great Britain / 0:38), ex-Tour champion Egan Bernal (Colombia / 0:39) and veteran Pinckenzo Nibali (Italy /) 0:41) All fast.

Buchmann, who finished fourth at the Tour de France in 2019, wants to be the first German to come on the podium on a tour of Italy. The profile corresponds to the climbing specialist. More than 47,000 vertical meters are to be covered on the 3479.9-km route from Turin to Milan.

“I know what I have to bring to the podium. And if you can do that, the win is usually not far away,” said Rensberger before the start. Buchman feels ready for the big coup: “I’m fit at this point. We’re exactly where we wanted to be at the beginning of the Giro.” The size is just as good, if not better than the Tour de France two years ago. At the time, Buchman was in fourth place.

The captain of the German Bora-Hansrohi team has to score in the mountains. He had no chance in the time trial. Sugarcane, who had won the Trial three times in the Giro last year, won ten seconds ahead of his compatriot Edoardo Afini and 13 seconds ahead of Norway’s Tobias Voss. “I’m happy to be back. I told myself: 100 percent full throttle,” Cane said.

Also notable is the appearance of Evenpel, who returned on the Lombardy Tour nearly nine months after his pelvic fracture and came in seventh place. “It was very emotional on the ramp. I had tears in my eyes. It meant running for me again. I am proud of my performance.” Straight behind, Max Walshid was eighth as the total number of 19 German professional cyclists, also 19 seconds behind.

In the Giro, cycling is also common to a certain extent. Spectrum was allowed on the track in Turin, with mask and distance. Italy had already eased more recently, although Germany has event values ​​at the level.

On Sunday, sprinters may come to the first game. The second stretch of more than 179 kilometers from Stupinigi to Novara goes on the flat terrain.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210508-99-521018 / 3