AMSTERDAM — Britain’s Bradley Wiggins won the Giro d’Italia’s opening leg on Saturday, edging world champion Cadel Evans and American Brent Bookwalter by 2 seconds.
Wiggins finished the 5.2-mile individual time trial in 10 minutes, 20 seconds in wet and windy weather.
Evans, an Australian, is riding the Giro for the first time in eight years.
Astana’s Alexandre Vinokourov was 5 seconds back tied with Greg Henderson of New Zealand, Wiggins’ teammate on the newly established Sky Team.
Defending champion Denis Menchov skipped the race to focus on Tour de France preparations, as are defending Tour champion Alberto Contador and seven-time winner Lance Armstrong. The Texan will ride in the Tour of California beginning May 16.
Wiggins’ winning ride started with an early charge from the start ramp. He maintained a blistering pace through the circuit’s tight turns and long straights, showing no signs of fatigue when he crossed the finish line near Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium.
“I knew I had a good chance,” Wiggins said. “I thought, ‘Let me go out and do what Bradley Wiggins can do.’ For me it’s beautiful to wear the pink jersey. It’s one of the most special jerseys. To wear this is a big honor.”
The 2,133-mile Giro heads toward the central city of Utrecht in Sunday’s flat 132-mile second stage.
The third leg is also in the Netherlands with riders heading south to the University city of Middelburg before moving to Italy on Wednesday after a day’s rest.
The Giro, which also started in the northern city of Groningen in 2002, is returning to the Netherlands for the second time in race history.
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