Tom Dumoulin: The victory was more important than the time gained

A stage win, a pink jersey and a 37-second buffer over Chris Froome. The opening day of the Giro d'Italia could hardly have gone smoother for Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb), who mastered a technical time trial course to begin his title defence in resounding fashion in Jerusalem.

It was hardly a surprise for the world time trial champion to claim the stage honours, pipping an impressive Rohan Dennis (BMC) by two seconds, but the early advantage he holds over Froome was rather more notable.

After taking a seat in the post-race press conference in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, however, Dumoulin dismissed the idea that the stage win was almost a bonus in light of the head start he now has on his rivals for final overall victory.

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"The victory was more important: I'll show you what I'm wearing now," Dumoulin said, unzipping his maglia rosa to reveal the rainbow bands underneath. "I'm now wearing the two most beautiful jerseys in cycling, so that make me very proud. The victory is more important than the time – although the time I gained on not only Froome but the other GC riders is also important."

In just 9.7 kilometres of racing, Dumoulin put almost a minute into Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates) and Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana) and 33 seconds into Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), but it is the buffer over Froome that draws the eye.

Froome, who is riding the Giro despite a positive test for salbutamol at last year's Vuelta a España, crashed while reconnoitring the course on Friday morning, and the effects – psychological as much physical, perhaps – undoubtedly hampered his performance.

Back in pink

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