Giro d'Italia 2019: Simon Yates backs up fighting talk with blistering time trial as Primoz Roglic claims pink

The hotly tipped Slovenian Primoz Roglic stormed to victory in the individual time trial, and behind him Yates confounded expectations with an impressive ride in a discipline not tailored to his strengths to finish the day second

Simon Yates talked himself up before this Giro d’Italia, insisting his main rivals should be “shitting themselves” about the prospect of having to race him, and he backed up that fighting talk with a blistering ride in the opening stage.

The hotly tipped Slovenian Primoz Roglic stormed to victory in the individual time trial, and behind him Yates confounded expectations with an impressive ride in a discipline not tailored to his strengths to finish the day second.

Yates dominated much of last year’s race only to blow on stage 19, but has returned determined to finish the job this year with the added experience of clinching the Vuelta a Espana in the intervening months to become a Grand Tour champion for the first time.

Speaking to The Independent ahead of the Giro, Yates was confident about his chances of competing in this time-trial heavy edition, having worked hard over the winter to improve his speed against the clock, but he did not think he could realistically match time-trial specialists like the Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, who won the Giro in 2017.

However, Dumoulin’s early time was quickly beaten by local favourite Vincenzo Nibali, before Roglic stormed through the streets of Bologna to clock a time of 12min 54sec, 23 seconds clear of Nibali.

Simon Yates climbs towards the finish (Getty)

Roglic arrived in Italy in form having won the Tour de Romandie last week against a field which included Team Ineos’s Geraint Thomas – who like Chris Froome is missing the Giro to prepare for the Tour de France. The 29-year-old is considered one of the favourites to win the maglia rosa and he will now wear the famous jersey on tomorrow’s stage two.

Yates has also been tipped to contend for the overall prize, given how close he came 12 months ago and his Vuelta triumph, and on this evidence he is certainly in shape to challenge. He rolled down the ramp late in the day and despite fears that a forecasted thunderstorm might scupper his bid, he avoided the rains to finish the testing 8km in 13min 13sec.

Behind Nibali in third was Miguel Angel Lopez, Team Astana’s Colombian rider who was also expected to finish further down the field given his slighter frame, in a ride that suggests he too will be a threat. Dumoulin came in a disappointing fifth while Team Ineos’s talented Londoner Tao Geoghegan Hart came in a highly creditable sixth.

Sunday’s stage two is a 205km ride from Bologna to Fucecchio.