Giro d’Italia: Pedersen wins but Landa crashes out on opening stage in Tirana

Denmark’s former world champion Mads Pedersen edged out Wout van Aert in a bunch sprint to win the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia in Tirana on Friday, but Mikel Landa was forced to abandon the race after a crash five kilometres from the finish.

Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) was positioned perfectly by his teammates for the climax in the Albanian capital and held off Belgium’s Van Aert to become the first rider this year –and the first Dane ever – to wear the overall leader’s pink jersey. Venezuela’s Orluis Aular (Movistar) was third across the line.

“To win the stage and go into the pink jersey is absolutely amazing, especially after teamwork like this,” said Pedersen, who won the world road title in England in 2019.

“You always have to be afraid of Wout, he’s a really good bike rider. It’s not a given to win when he’s in the group, and you have to handle that with respect and a bit of fear as well. But today I had the legs to finish it off for the team.”

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

The pack rides during stage one. Photograph: Fabio Ferrari/AP

Landa, a three-time stage winner in the Giro who came third overall in 2015 and 2022, crashed on the outskirts of Tirana as the peloton wound up the pace towards the finish. The 35-year-old Soudal Quick-Step rider was taken from the course on a stretcher.

“Our rider has been taken to the hospital for investigations after the crash that put an end to his dreams at the Giro,” said his team on X.

His crash was among several on the opening day, with Juan Ayuso of UAE Team Emirates, one of the leading contenders for the race, crashing early on at a roundabout. The Spaniard was unhurt and finished safely in the pack alongside race favourite Primoz Roglic.

Two other riders expected to challenge for the maglia rosa – Derek Gee (Israel-Premier Tech) and Thymen Arensman (Ineos Grenadiers) – lost time on a punishing day.