The US team won the Garda Trentino TTT (same as two years ago), ahead of NetApp and Team Sky, gifting the blond rider from Valsugana the joy of first GC leadership
Daniel Oss learned to believe in prophetical dreams: “On Sunday we were training for the team time trial here in Garda Trentino, when our sports directory told us that our teammate Gilbert had just won the Amstel Gold Race. So I thought: it would be nice if we could win on Tuesday too…” Said and done: Tuesday came, and so did victory for his BMC Team in Giro del Trentino stage 1, a team time trial from Riva to Arco. The American team had enjoyed the same result two years ago on the same route. Team NetApp took a very strong second place, 5 seconds behind, while Sir Bradley Wiggins’s Team Sky rounded out the podium with a 9 second delay. Movistar and Cannondale followed just behind.
All in all, quite a predictable outcome. The unexpected was in the race leader: Daniel Oss was the first rider to the line, becoming the first overall leader of the 38th Giro del Trentino. Day of celebration for the Trentino favorite (he is from Pergine Valsugana, and lives in Torbole, just by the Lake Garda), who enjoyed his glorious moment right on his home roads, something that doesn’t happen every day, particularly in such a demanding race. A special gift from Cadel Evans? “No, we did not decide it in advance – Oss explained – we just wanted to give it all, and we didi t up to the line. It was just a flash, and I was first to the line: a huge joy after some hard times.”
Some issues with a nerve in his legs had forced him to skip the cobbles classics and change his race schedule: the new one features the Giro del Trentino, and then the Giro d’Italia: “I really like the Classics, so it was not easy for me to watch them from home. But now my choice is starting to pay off: I healed perfectly, and ready to give a significant contribution to the Team.” At the Giro, there will be a lot of work to make for captain Cadel Evans, who will try to play a big role in Trentino as well from tomorrow on: “I might lose the jersey pretty soon – Oss said – but I am very happy anyway.”
Two individual wins as a professional before, and now his first team time trial success and the first leader’s jersey. The time of strong rouleurs is now gone, and tomorrow climbers will come to the fore. On Wednesday, things will get started at 9.50 in Limone sul Garda to finish 164,500 km later in San Giacomo di Brentonico (1.196 mt. altitude). The final 15 km ascent, featuring several long straights, is not dreadful in terms of gradients, but will be enough to start selecting the top favorites: at the end of the stage, we will know much more about this Giro del Trentino. Delayed coverage on RaiSport from 18.00.
Arco (Italy), April 22nd, 2014
