PREVIEW | Tirreno-Adriatico 2023 stage 1 - Ganna and Van Aert big favourites to take first race lead at time-trial

Preview. Tirreno-Adriatico is a race that features opportunities for all types of riders, and stage 1 features an individual time-trial which will open things up.

The opening day of racing sees an individual time-trial in Lido di Camaiore. It is 11.5 kilometers in length, is pan-flat and will see the early gaps being created in the race, aswell as providing a big opportunity for the specialists.

Start Time: 12:50CET

Finish Time: 16:00CET

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It will be a pure out-and-back course. A race for the purists, with an impressive total of 1 meter of elevation according to the profile provider.

As tricky as it could be. There will be moderately strong wind from the southwest throughout the whole afternoon. But most importantly there will be rain. How much? That's a good question, forecast suggests it will get stronger towards mid-afternoon but it also points towards rain towards the whole afternoon. The course is very little technical however and doesn't feature any type of descent so it may not affect it as much.

Filippo Ganna - The man to beat. Time-trials with headwind present usually see the Italian struggle. However the competition that he will be facing here is largely undercooked and starting their season. Ganna will truly be the man to beat despite not looking at his best in the Algarve.

Wout van Aert - His first day of racing. Van Aert has skipped Strade Bianche so as to build better form, but Tirreno-Adriatico is a warm-up race. How good will he be from the start is a good question. He will be a victory contender no matter what happens however since he's a true powerhouse.

The outsider list doesn't actually drag very wide. Typically Tirreno-Adriatico features a very strong time-trialist field but not this year. Magnus Sheffield will have a good opportunity to feature in the fight for victory although his teammate should have the upper hand. Thymen Arensman will be yet another card for INEOS.

Primoz Roglic could be a good card for a strong result but his form is very much unknown, as is his shoulder situation. Jumbo-Visma should do good in the time-trial, Dylan van Baarle will be another possibility as an outsider. Mathieu van der Poel is another joker such as Roglic.

Nelson Oliveira, Andreas Leknessund and Maciej Bodnar will be among the outsiders for a Top5 result. In this power course it will very much come down to pure power.

*** Filippo Ganna
** Wout van Aert, Magnus Sheffield
* Primoz Roglic, Thymen Arensman, Dylan van Baarle, Andreas Leknessund, Nelson Oliveira

Pick: Filippo Ganna