Lacking their major powerhouses, Omega Pharma-Quick Step wasn’t considered main favorites to take the spoils in the opening team time trial, but making a very good use of improved weather conditions on the course, the Belgian team managed to ensure their leader, Rigoberto Uran, a perfect start to his Giro d’Italia campaign. Sitting in the pole position among serious contenders for the general classification, the 27-year old Colombian admitted to be more surprised with an advantage he gained over his rivals than with a result itself, but pointed out that the race is far from reaching its decisive stages.

“It’s all going very well, particularly thanks to the team time trial,” Urán said to a small group of reporters at the stage three start - which he completed lying ninth overall, at 19 seconds on Giro leader Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEDGE). “So for the moment it’s all going as well as can be expected.”

“Perhaps getting such a big difference was a little bit of a surprise, but we were very mentalized to do as well as possible. It’s a good advantage and the idea is to keep it for as long as possible.”

Unlike some of other race favorites, Uran strongly contributed to pace setting in their effort against the clock, as under wings of the Omega Pharma-Quick Step Colombian climber emerged this season as one of most improved riders in that discipline, highlighted by his surprisingly impressive performance in the Tour de Romandie final stage.

Originating from South America, the Belgian squad’s leader admitted several times that he handles high temperatures much better than rain and cold. However, the Colombian climber claims that adverse weather conditions weren’t a factor of any importance during his short Irish adventure and that his previous participation in the Giro d’Italia, finished on a highly respectable second place, taught him to be prepared for everything.

“This is the Giro d’Italia, it’s what you expect. I think if it’s tough, it’s tough for everybody, particularly the mechanics and hopefully it’ll get better in Italy.”

“I’ve ridden four Giros, and three of them have started in foreign countries. You can see that there are a lot of fans here and it’s nice to be in places that arent’ just Italy.”

Despite having his Giro campaign off to a perfect start and realistically targeting a podium spot in the three-week event, the 27-year old Omega Pharma-Quick Step leader realizes how fleeting his early advantage could be and that there is a long way to go before the event reaches its decisive stages.

“The Giro is still very, very open, and there’s a long way to go, all the decisive stages are yet to come. For now I’m going well, and I’m getting better by the day.”

He also made its clear that instead of red-circling particular stages, like most of other race favorites he prefers to stay focused and live it day by day.

“I mark them down every morning when I get up,” he joked.