BMC Racing Team won at a record-breaking 58.329kph. Damiano Caruso wears blue; Tejay van Garderen takes first advantage in the GC.

Lido di Camaiore, 8 March 2017 – BMC Racing Team won stage 1 of the 52nd Tirreno-Adriatico NamedSport, repeating last year’s victory with a record breaking speed of 58.329kph. First across the line, Damiano Caruso took the leader’s jersey, the Maglia Azzurra NamedSport. Among the General Classification favourites, BMC Racing Team’s Tejay van Garderen takes time advantage over Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) and Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team), who finished third and fourth with their respective teams, limiting their losses.

VELON DATA
Data collected by Velon’s devices on the riders’ bikes tell the detailed story of the stage: Data and an explanation guide can be downloaded here.

DOWNLOADS

Stage 1 Results
Stage 1 Photo Gallery
Tirreno-Adriatico NamedSport 2017 Roadbook
Tirreno-Adriatico NamedSport 2017 Maps

STAGE RESULT
1 – BMC Racing Team 22.7km in 23’21”, average speed 58.329kph
2 – Quick-Step Floors at 16″
3 – Movistar Team at 21″

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Damiano Caruso (BMC Racing Team)
2 – Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team) s.t.
3 – Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) s.t.

JERSEYS

Maglia Azzurra (blue), general classification leader, sponsored by NamedSport – Damiano Caruso (BMC Racing Team)
Maglia Bianca (white), young rider general classification leader, sponsored by Selle Italia – Stefan Kung (BMC Racing Team)
Maglia Rossa (red), sprinter classification leader, sponsored by FSA – not assigned
Maglia Verde (green), King of the Mountains classification leader, sponsored by Snello Rovagnati – not assigned

PRESS CONFERENCE
The first Maglia Azzurra, Damiano Caruso (BMC Racing Team) said: “I believe I’m in a great shape. I worked a lot in December to be able to help Richie Porte at the Tour Down Under so I’m here in a better shape than in the previous years. This victory makes me happy and it makes my dad even happier than me! He doesn’t often visit me at the races but he was here today. He’s my number one fan. He’ll remember this day forever. Me too. I’m looking forward to seeing the advantage I can take from leading the race in the coming days. We’re here with two leaders, Greg Van Avermaet for the stage wins and Tejay van Garderen for the overall. Maybe at the Terminillo, if the circumstances are favourable, I’ll be in the wheels and defend this jersey without changing the team’s plans. But first, there will be an interesting stage tomorrow, it’s a long one with a nervous finale. Greg is a top champion; he deserves everybody’s help, mine included. We’ll maintain our plan to try and get him the win in Pomarance.”

STATISTICS
Record average speed in the history of Tirreno-Adriatico: 58.329kph. The first five teams bettered the previous record held by BMC Racing Team on the same course one year ago.

Same podium as last year with BMC Racing Team, Quick-Step Floors and FDJ repeating positions 1, 2, and 3. Also like last year, BMC Racing Team puts an Italian in the lead: Damiano Caruso in 2017 after Daniel Oss in 2016.
For the first time in his career, Damiano Caruso leads a stage race.

TOMORROW’S STAGE

Stage 2 – Camaiore – Pomarance, 229km
Start Meeting Point: Camaiore, Piazza San Bernardino
Sign-on procedures: 09.05 – 10.20
Alignment: 10.25
Start – KM 0: 10.30 (transfer 2,000m)
Finish: Via della Costituzione, Pomarance – 16.15 Approx.
Race Headquarter: Spazio Savioli, Piazza Costituzione, Pomarance

ROUTE
This stage is wavy and undulating, especially in the second part, and features an uphill finish that might make it suitable for finisseurs. After the start in Camaiore, the route reaches the seafront at the Lido, and then heads south towards Viareggio and Pisa, on flat roads. Gentle slopes begin while approaching Collesalvetti. The route becomes technically demanding after the feed zone, located between San Martino and Casino di Terra, running up towards Canneto. The first categorized climb of the Race of the Two Seas will be in Serrazzano. After reaching Pomarance the first time, the route follows an almost complete circle on its way to Saline di Volterra, taking in two quite steep categorised climbs in Volterra and Montecatini Val di Cecina and, eventually, leads to the final climb (approx 12km, with mild average gradients).

Final kilometres
Just past Saline di Volterra, the route starts to go up towards Cerreto, on a long and very uneven climb, with slopes beyond 10-12% alternating with gradients of 2-3%. At the last gentle bend, the final part of the route is uncomplicated, on 7m wide, asphalt road.

POINTS OF INTEREST
CAMAIORE
From the turquoise blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea to the emerald green hills of the surrounding Apuan Alps, Camaiore is a town of contrasting yet harmonizing colours, in a land whose many flavours and traditions reflect the character of its dwellers: strong yet friendly, lively and welcoming.
The city covers a wide and varied territory ranging from the lively coastline in Lido di Camaiore, to the Apuan Alps, through the historical hamlet of Monteggiori, which is home to a feudal castle and the Rotaio fortress. With its historical centre, the town bursts into life especially in the summertime, offering a wealth of tourist attractions. The Palio takes place in June and in July, with the town’s six districts challenging each other in a set of sport and entertainment competitions. In August, summer events culminate in the “Follie di Ferragosto”, festival, and the Palio dell’Assunta, a major heritage event, featuring a costume parade in which the city’s historical families display their coats of arms.
Camaiore is also known to sports fans for the historic “Gran Premio Città di Camaiore”, cycle race which ran from 1949 to 2014, and whose route has, in recent years, become a “regular stage” of the Tirreno-Adriatico NamedSport.

POMARANCE
Pomarance, in inland Tuscany, hosts a wide range of ancient and modern tourist attractions, including a museum dedicated to geothermal science (Museo della Geotermia) in Larderello, which features a multimedia exhibition leading visitors to discover the strength of nature in the surrounding territory, and the ways mankind has tried to harness this energy. The territory of Pomarance is home to the so-called Valle del Diavolo (the Devil’s Valley), which is said to have served as inspiration for the landscapes in Dante Alighieri’s Inferno. The tall columns of white steam are actually due to a natural phenomenon (boric-acid fumaroles). Major architectural landmarks include Rocca Sillana, a majestic stronghold sitting strategically on top of a hill overlooking Val di Cecina, which can be seen from a distance.
It has become increasingly associated with sports and cycling and just like 2016, the town hosts the Tirreno-Adriatico NamedSport’s stage 2 finish.

TV COVERAGE
The 52nd Tirreno-Adriatico NamedSport will be broadcast in 184 countries right across the five continents. The 2017 edition of the race will be shown live by 13 TV networks.
RAI, the WorldTour event’s host broadcaster, will produce three hours of live coverage of the race, broadcasting it in Italy on Rai Sport + HD, with the final part of each stage live also on Rai 3. Eurosport will show the “Race of the Two Seas” live throughout the whole of Europe, with the exception of France where l’Equipe will air the event race on its free-to-air channel.
Eurosport will also broadcast the race in 16 territories across the Asia Pacific region, while in Japan the exclusive live broadcast is on DAZN. In New Zealand the Tirreno-Adriatico NamedSport will be broadcast exclusively on Sky Sports.
OSN network is the right holders for the Middle East and Africa regions, while Kwese Sport will cover the SubSaharian Africa territories with the sole exception of South Africa, where the race will be broadcast live on Supersport.
The 2017 Tirreno-Adriatico NamedSport can be followed in the Americas on Fubo.TV in USA and Canada, on TDN in Mexico and Central America and on the ESPN network in South America and the Caribbeans.
SNTV – the Sports News Television platform will distribute images from the race all over the world.

LIVE TWEETS
You can follow Tirreno-Adriatico NamedSport daily with a Twitter feed bringing all the news directly from the race, by following the official Twitter account @TirrenAdriatico – and use the hashtag #Tirreno to send your comments live.

Photo credits: LaPresse – D’Alberto / Ferrari

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