Poli gets out front and Kusztor digs deep on stage 1 in Sicily

Italian Umberto Poli found his breakaway stride once again for Team Novo Nordisk on stage one of the Giro di Sicilia before veteran Peter Kustzor found his legs for the final ramp and into 28th on the day.

The peloton set out from the historic port of Marsala and wound its way east along the coast and rolling roads towards the mesmerizing Valle dei Templi and up to the finish in Agrigento for a memorable opening day.

Head sports director Massimo Podenzana:

“For the main part it was job done today, we started well with Umberto making it into the break of the day and that was our first objective ticked off. Then we got unlucky with Matyas crashing early on – he finished the stage but he’s a little battered and bruised.”

“For the final it was always going to be Peter for us on that kind of climb and he did his best to hang with the leaders as long as he could, but slipped back in the last kilometer.”

Umberto Poli:

“It wasn’t the first attack that went away, maybe after five or six kilometers, but it was the right attack and I’m happy that we went at the right time. Getting in the breakaway is important for us, we have a serious message to share and of course getting in the break in an Italian race is extra special for me.”

Peter Kusztor:

“I felt really good as we turned onto the climb to the finish and the group started to split as the pace increased. Initially I could deal with the accelerations, but the last km, the front of the race just slipped away from me. But wow, what a finish up through the Valle dei Templi.”

Photo credit: Sprint Cycling Agency