Team DSM control the bunch as Marius Mayrhofer sprints to 5th at the Giro d’Italia

After yesterday’s opening time trial, the road stages got underway on Sunday afternoon at the Giro with 202 kilometres on the menu from Teramo to San Salvo. Despite a few climbs along the way, the flat closing 70 kilometres would lend itself to a bunch sprint finish which was the goal the team set off from the start with.

Almost from the flag drop a group of five riders managed to escape and their gap quickly grew out to five minutes before an organised chase began at the front of the peloton. Jonas Iversby Hvideberg came to the front to represent the team’s interests and helped set a good tempo throughout the day, ensuring that the stage would come down to a fast finish.

Working well as a group the team moved forward en masse looking to bring finisher Marius Mayrhofer into a good position to go for the sprint. Unfortunately at just inside four kilometres to go a crash in the bunch saw Martijn Tusveld go down, and the rest of the team held up. A strong pull from Alberto Dainese saw him bring Niklas Märkl and Mayrhofer back to the front split, where Märkl dropped off Mayrhofer in a good wheel. Having already spent a lot of energy, Mayrhofer weaved his way through the sprinters and pushed all the way to the line to take a good fifth place finish for the team – his first ever top five in his first ever Giro d’Italia.

Mayrhofer expressed: “The team did a super job and committed to me as the finisher the whole day. We were present in the front and controlled the break. We were also strong in the lead out but unfortunately we ended up behind that crash with some guys. I was also caught behind and we had to work really hard to get back to the front. When we made it there the legs were pretty much already hurting. Fifth is a good result, especially considering the circumstances, and we’re looking forward to the coming chances.”

Team DSM coach Matt Winston added: “I think the guys did a really good job throughout the day. Jonas pulled in the front to make sure it came down to a sprint. Coming into the final the guys were sitting well together. There was a big crash with four kilometres to go where Martijn came down there and we’re still assessing those injuries right now. We had no one directly in the front and Alberto made a massive pull to bring Marius back into a position where he could go for a sprint. Marius had also made a big effort to get there so was also a bit gassed and sprinted to fifth in the end. To be honest, after what happened at four kilometres to go, for the guys to react quickly and still get fifth is a really good effort. It’s a good start to the road stages.”