Phinney wins Giro opener

Team BMC's Taylor Phinney produced a stunning performance to claim the opening time-trial of the Giro d'Italia on Saturday.

The American, who is known for his prowess against the clock, is competing in his first Grand Tour and got off to the perfect start as he came in just ahead of Sky's Geraint Thomas on the opening day in the Danish city of Herning. Garmin's Ramunas Navardauskas set the early pace with a time of 10 minutes and 48 seconds over the 8.7 kilometre course and it looked like he could finish the day in the Maglia Rosa as a number of the favourites struggled on the technical course. However, he was eventually beaten, initially by Saxo Bank's Manuele Boaro and then Thomas before Phinney produced the performance of the opening stage, clocking a time of 10:26 to claim the lead in the first Grand Tour of the season.