Spare a thought for Hiroki Nishimura who has endured one of the most difficult experiences a pro rider could even dream of.
The 24-year-old Japanese pro was in the Giro in the hopes
he would gain experience and physically progress.
However, his race has ended on the opening 8km stage 1
time trial after he was outside the time limit yesterday.
Some of the international media reports suggested he had
suffered a derailed chain on the 2km climb to the finish line.
However, it appears one of his team mates – fellow Japanese
rider Sho Hatsuyama – suffered a mechanical on the climb rather than Hiroki
Nishimura.
But while Hatsuyama finished 170th and can now move on
with the rest of the race, Nishimura is already out of the Giro.
He finished well outside the time cut and as of late last night he was out of the race.
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His team, NIPPO Vini Fantini Faizanè, said he had become
too nervous in the build-up and paid the price.
The former Japanese national junior road race and TT
champion is now left to pick up the pieces of a very difficult day.
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“Nishimura paid the big tension for this big and unique
event,” NIPPO Vini Fantini Faizanè said in a brief statement.
“He was involved in the Giro because he is a young rider
that would grow well thanks to experiences in big races.
“Unfortunately he was too nervous for the event. He had a
bad night without sleeping.
“And during the race - a short and explosive TT - he
wasn’t able to be competitive.”
He wasn’t helped by the fact Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visa) went so fast up the climb.
His winning gap of 19 seconds over runner-up Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) was the same as that that covered the next eight riders.
Roglic did a time of 12:54, the only rider to go under 13 minutes. Sadly, Hiroki Nishimura was 4:36 seconds down.
Some commentators believed the 24-year-old was the first
rider eliminated on a Grand Tour opening day TT since Fons De Wolf in the 1985
Tour de France.
The Belgian was riding for Fagor and went out of the race
on the 6.8km TT in Plumelec.
It was won by Bernard Hinault from Eric Vanderaerden, by
four seconds, and Stephen Roche; who was 14 seconds down.
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