“It was a nasty crash actually... could have been a lot worse” - Kaden Groves bruised but not beaten after stage 1 scare at the 2026 Giro d'Italia

Kaden Groves is hopeful he can quickly move on from the chaotic opening stage of the 2026 Giro d’Italia after escaping what he admitted was a “nasty crash” during the finale in Burgas.

The Alpecin-Premier Tech sprinter was among the notable fast men caught behind the major incident inside the final kilometre of Stage 1, where a high-speed crash split the peloton and wiped out much of the sprint field during the fight for the first Maglia Rosa of this year’s Giro.

Paul Magnier ultimately sprinted to victory ahead of Tobias Lund Andresen and Ethan Vernon, while Groves was left focusing instead on recovering in time for another opportunity on Stage 2.

Speaking before the start in conversation with Cycling Pro Net, Groves admitted the aftermath of the crash was still being felt physically, although the Australian was relieved to avoid more serious injuries.

“Yeah, I’m doing pretty okay,” Groves explained. “It was a nasty crash actually. I think it could have been a lot worse in the end and it’s just some superficial injuries around the body, so we’ll see how I do today. For sure I’ll be a bit stiff, but I expect to be better on the bike.”

Despite the crash, Groves suggested the second stage into Veliko Tarnovo had already been one of the finishes he had specifically targeted before the Giro began.

The 221-kilometre route features a more selective finale than the straightforward sprint into Burgas, with repeated climbs, uphill drags and cobbled sections potentially favouring more versatile sprinters capable of surviving a harder finale. “Yeah, I think on paper it was a good stage,” Groves said. “We have to monitor and see how the body is.”

The Australian also acknowledged that the unpredictable nature of Grand Tour racing could quickly alter the complexion of the stage depending on how aggressively it is raced by the GC teams and puncheurs.

“It’s also a Grand Tour so things can go really either way,” Groves explained. “The GC riders can also animate a stage like today and then it becomes too hard for the sprinters, so we have to see what happens on the road.”

Groves specifically highlighted the uphill and cobbled sections inside the final kilometres as elements that had initially made the stage particularly appealing to him before the crash complicated his preparation overnight.

“Yeah, exactly,” he said. “On paper it was a stage that I had a bit of an asterisk next to. But what happened yesterday is not ideal, so we have to see how the body is.”

Alpecin - Premier Tech also have an alternative option available if the finale proves too difficult for Groves following the effects of the crash, with Francesco Busatto capable of handling a more selective finish. “And in the case it’s too hard for me, we have Francesco Busatto to also go for it in case it’s more of a reduced bunch sprint,” Groves said.

While the full impact of the Stage 1 crash may only become clear once the racing intensifies later in the Giro, Groves appears determined not to let the opening-day setback derail his ambitions too early in the race.