Release date: 20/05/2010 |    

Set in the glorious La Mandria National Park, close to Turin, the GCT of Italy began with a 1.45 two phase competition with course designer and organiser Uliano Vezzani making sure his star studded field did not get life too easy. First into the ring and returning to the GCT after an short absence due to injury was Latinus ridden by Denis Lynch. The winners of the opening leg of the Tour in Doha 2008, they showed the course was tough enough by setting an easily beatable standard of eight penalties in the second phase. Beaten it was by the next man in, Rolf Goran Bengsston with Ninja La Silla, who was clear 35.23. That made it a little tougher for the others who had to chase the time in the second phase and chase they did. An absolutely furious battle ensured. Just when the audience thought a time could not be bettered it was. When Rio organiser Alvaro de Miranda scored 28.76 he must have thought he was destined to win, being over a second better than the next rider at that time. But then the Italian Master of Faster, Gianni Govoni managed to shave a second off that time and he held the lead for several rounds despite fierce challenges from another GCT speed demon Harrie Smolders, countryman Emilio Biocchi and Eric Van der Vleuten, none of whom could quite catch him. But Roger Yves Bost who was  unhappy with his riding performance in Valencia made amends here. Taking a couple of strides out and jumping fences on very oblique angles meant the Frenchman stopped the clock in 26.78 but there were still 12 left to jump and those included Valencia speed winner Simon Delestre and the never sluggish Jessica Kurten. But Roger need not have worried, no one else was quite brave enough and the first prize remained his.

 The  jumping continues with a jump off class this evening.