"I am satisfied - said Vincenzo Nibali at the end of Giro d'Italia opening stage - was a full gas time trial, with many corners where you had to slow down a little and then push again immediately. "
"This morning we studied the route well and I am happy to have started well the pink adventure. Tomorrow will be a stage for sprinters, we must be careful."
Nibali finished in sixteenth place at 19 seconds from the stage winner and first pink jersey the Netherlands Tom Dumoulin, but gained precious seconds on the main rivals for the final victory the Spaniards Alejandro Valverde and Mikel Landa.
"A good start - said the general manager Alexandr Vinokourov - the team is well prepared and Vincenzo showed already going strong."
Tomorrow the second stage, from Arnhem to Nijmegen of 190 km, with little difficulty and with a probable arrival at the sprint.