Road: Equinox TTX Goes 1-2 in Giro del Trentino

Racing aboard their team-issue Trek Equinox TTXs, Astana's Andreas Klöden and Jani Brajkovic finished first and second in the first stage of the Italian stage race Giro del Trentino.  Klöden was the fastest rider in the individual time trial from Torbole to Arco. He finished the 16.3 kilometer course in 18:21 and was just one second faster than teammate Jani Brajkovic. Ukraine time trial champion Andrey Grivko finished third at 7 seconds behind. Andreas Klöden is the first leader of the race.

For Klöden it is his second time trial victory of the season. Earlier this year he was the best in the time trial of the Tirreno-Adriatico. "I think I made the right choice by participating in this race,” commented the German rider. "My first intention was to do the Tour de Romandie, which I won last year, but the organizers skipped the time trial. Trentino is only four days but it’s a hard race with a time trial and three hilly stages. After this race I will end part one of my season and will start my training for our main goal, the Tour de France," he concluded.

Team Director Alexandr Shefer was delighted with the team result. "Jani Brajkovic did a superb time trial as well. At the intermediate point, he was seven seconds slower than Andreas, but he did a superb second part of the race. Jani is ready for the Giro d'Italia. We will defend our leader's jersey. We have two potential overall winners of this race. Tomorrow will be decisive. It will be hard with the finish on Alpe di Pampeago, a climb Andreas knows from the Giro of last year. It’s 7.6 kilometers, average climbing percentage of 9.6 with a maximum of 16%. It will be hard."