Giro d'Italia Stage 1 – May 4th Napoli – Napoli 130km **Unmasked Spoilers**

This stage has been altered due to landslides around Naples over the winter, and what promised to be a fascinating opener with added lumpiness is now basically a city crit. What do crits make? Crashes. Let’s hope not, it would be a shame to see the first stage marred by a pile-up. There are two different finishing circuits – firstly four laps of a 16km circuit that features a bit of a cobbled climb followed by eight circuits of 8km with fairly tight corners. The shorter laps may be difficult for the sprinter’s teams to control but they should eventually wear down the likely escapees for a bunch sprint.

Given that Meersman said his agreed target at Romandie was three stages we can take it that Cavendish was just rolling around for a bit of climbing training - so he should be favourite, and remember he lost the red jersey last year by only one point so he will be bursting for a good start. However, the OPQS train doesn’t look anywhere as committed to the Cavendish cause as it might be - Steegmans has all the experience in the world as lead-out but doesn’t seem to be quite the force of old, and Keisse and Trentin look happier stage hunting than leading out Cav. Cavendish should win, but expect Goss, Ferrari, Bouhanni, Degenkolb and Viviani to be thereabouts.

Bouhanni is looking stronger and smarter every time I see him...