The nearly twelve-kilometer test took place on a perfectly flat course. For Team Visma | Lease a Bike, the main objective was to limit losses, given the team’s ambitions for the Italian stage race.

Yates reflected on his performance afterward. “The feeling is okay. I can’t say I felt at my best, but I think that’s understandable. It was my first race of the season, and these kinds of time trials aren’t exactly my strength. I’m looking forward to seeing where I stand in this race. The mountain stage later this week will be a good test. The first race of the year is always about getting back into the rhythm, but it was nice to finally be racing again”, Yates concluded.

“In the end, I can live with this time trial”, said Uijtdebroeks at the finish. “It’s not my specialty, but I felt good. We’ve worked a lot on my time trialing recently. Together with the team, I’ve put in many hours, and I think that showed today. I’m no longer struggling with the issues that used to hold me back. I can ride pain-free, and that’s a huge relief. I’m really excited for this race and hope to match my result from last year. Together with Simon, I aim to make an impact here.”