CCC Sprandi Polkowice has kicked off the Settimana Coppi e Bartali with an amazing performance on day one. After claiming 2nd place by Grega Bole in the morning stage, Davide Rebellin, Adrian Kurek, Jarosław Marycz and Tomasz Kiendyś won the team time trial on stage 1b. Rebellin became the new leader of the race.

“The entire team was very strong in the TTT. We set a very solid and fast pace and we found the right rhythm. Now we have the leader’s jersey and we will do everything we can to keep it all the way to Pavullo. The hardest stages will be held tomorrow and on Sunday, but I am in good shape and I’m surrounded by a very strong team, which is capable of protecting the GC lead,” Davide Rebellin said afterwards to the CCC Sprandi Polkowice website.

It was an unusual, 13-kilometer team time trial, since the teams were divided into two 4-man squads. The Polkowice-based team was riding in the following compositions: Grega Bole, Christian Delle Stelle, Bartłomiej Matysiak, Nikolay Mihaylov and Davide Rebellin, Adrian Kurek, Jarosław Marycz, Tomasz Kiendyś. Bole’s team was the first orange squad to roll off the start ramp. They set the fastest time – 15’09 and were at the top of the standings for a long period.

Eventually they were bested by a few teams, but the orange colors returned to the first place, thanks to Rebellin’s team. The Italian was riding with TTT specialists, since Kurek, Kiendyś and Marycz are the current Polish Champions in this competition. They put in an amazing ride and defeated Team Sky by one second. Nobody was able to top that result later on. Since Rebellin was the highest ranked rider in the GC from the winning squad, he took over the race lead.

It’s the second time this week that CCC Sprandi Polkowice takes the lead in a stage race. Maciej Paterski won stage 1 of Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, and was wearing the white jersey for two stages.