Giro d'Italia: Bumpy start for Kämna - Evenepoel in a league of his own

Stefan Tabeling, dpa

For Lennard Kämna, the bumpy start to his Giro d'Italia project was "far from a disaster", but he didn't get anywhere near the stars around the talent of the century Remco Evenepoel.

1:23 minutes behind the Maglia Rosa is a lot for the ambitions in the overall classification, almost too much in the battle for seconds among the contenders for victory. "The confidence is definitely there. It's all still within reason," Kämna told the German Press Agency. He does not want to shake his big goal of transforming himself from a stage hunter to a classement rider and reaching the top ten in the world's second biggest cycling tour.

It became clear on the Adriatic coast that there is a long way to go to reach the top. Riders like Evenepoel, who has long been compared to legend Eddy Merckx in his home country and is even three years younger than Kämna, are in a different league. "The first mission has been accomplished. The pink jersey wasn't the main goal, but it's a nice bonus," said the world champion.

The Belgian had no problems defending his lead on the second stage on Sunday, after 202 kilometres from Teramo to San Salvo the Italian Jonathan Milan won ahead of the Dutchman David Dekker. The best Germans in the sprint final were Marius Mayrhofer and Pascal Ackermann in fifth and sixth place.

Kämna ailing, Roglic also far away

It's still a few days before the 106th Tour of Italy takes to the mountains. Time that Kämna can use to get back to full health. Sports director Jens Zemke let it slip that Kämna has been "a bit sore over the last few days". "He didn't take part in the full training programme. He stayed in the hotel on Friday," explained Zemke.

Kämna spent four months preparing for the Giro, bringing his weight down to the lower limit and "reaching a level I've never reached before", as Kämna emphasised before the Grande Partenza.

However, Kämna was not the only one to be beaten on this opening weekend in Abruzzo; co-favourite Primoz Roglic also suffered a heavy defeat. The Slovenian, Olympic time trial champion after all, lost 43 seconds to Evenepoel. "In the end, it's all about who is in front after 21 stages," said the Slovenian, which sounded very much like slogans of perseverance. Roglic has to attack in the mountains, and with a battered team in which five important helpers had to be replaced in the run-up to the race due to corona, injuries and crashes.

Evenepoel in a league of its own

Who is supposed to stop Evenepoel? "Remco Fenomeno", enthused the "Gazzetta dello Sport". The exceptional rider, who once turned down a career in professional football for cycling, has long since matured into a world-class rider: Vuelta champion, world champion, victory in the tough spring classic Liège-Bastogne-Liège and now riding the Giro in pink. Since last autumn, he has been working towards his goals with impressive ease. And next year, an attack on the Tour throne is on the programme. That's the plan.

The parallels to Merckx are striking: he also won the World Championship title at 22, won the Giro the following year before going on to win five Tour victories. It's not that far yet. Evenepoel was delighted to return to the Giro in this way. Two years ago, he cancelled his first attempt after 17 stages when he was not ready after a ten-month break due to a pelvic fracture. Now he seems to be.

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