CW Live: Remco Evenepoel wins opening Giro d'Italia time trial; Stage winner confusion at La Vuelta Femenina; Lance Armstrong is sent to Mars; British cycling legend Tony Doyle dies

Tony Doyle dies aged 64

On Friday evening, news broke that former world track champion Tony Doyle had passed away, following a month-long battle with pancreatic cancer. 

Doyle won two world titles on the track, both in the individual pursuit, in 1980 and 1986. He was also a master of six-day racing, winning 23 events throughout his career. 

After his retirement in 1995, Doyle was elected president of British Cycling and was inducted into the British Cycling Hall of Fame in 2009. 

He received an MBE for services to cycling in 1989. 

Thomas Gloag gets late Giro d'Italia call-up

Twenty-one-year-old Brit Thomas Gloag will start his first Grand Tour today at the Giro d’Italia, after being drafted into Jumbo Visma’s squad on the eve of the race. 

The Londoner, racing in his first year on the WorldTour with the Dutch squad, will replace Jan Tratnik in their eight-rider line-up, after the Slovenian was injured in a training crash on Friday. 

The late substitution marks Jumbo-Visma’s fifth going into the race. A spate of Covid cases ruled out Tobias Foss, Robert Gesink and Jos van Emden, while Wilco Kelderman conceded his place in the team due to injury last month. 

Gloag has already ridden two WorldTour stage races this year, the UAE Tour and the Tour de Romandie. His best result this season came at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, where he placed second on stage four to Tao Geoghegan Hart. 

The Brit will be line up at the Giro alongside Edoardo Affini, Koen Bouwman, Rohan Dennis, Michel Hessman, Sepp Kuss and Sam Oomen, all supporting a GC bid for team leader Primož Roglič

Lance Armstrong goes to Mars

Former cyclist Lance Armstrong is off to Mars. Yes, the planet. No, not literally. 

The 51-year-old is taking part in a new Fox reality TV show called 'Stars on Mars', filmed in the Australian outback. The brand-new competition show will see 12 celebrities carry out missions, all the while living in environments resembling the red planet.  

At the end of each weekly episode, one celebrity will leave the show. 

Armstrong will be joined on 'Mars' by wrestler Ronda Rousey, figure skater Adam Rippon and American footballer Marshawn Lynch, among others. The show airs in the US on 5 June. 

Giro d'Italia stage one start times

There's just a few hours to go until the first Grand Tour of the men's calendar gets underway. 

Stage one is a simple 19.6km individual time trial, starting in Fossacesia Marina, and finishing in Ortona. 

Below are a few key start times to note, in BST: 

12:50 - Laurens Huys (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) - first rider down the ramp

13:23 - Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma)

13:45 - Thomas Gloag (Jumbo-Visma) 

14:13 - Hugh Carthy (EF Education-EasyPost)

14:25 - Mark Cavendish (Astana Qazaqstan)

14:53 - Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers)

15:08 - João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)

15:15 - Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers)

15:34 - Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step)

15:35 - Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)

15:36 - Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ)

15:37 - Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) 

15:38 - Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) 

If you're after a full list, you can find one on our sister site Cyclingnews.

Chloé Dygert drops out of Vuelta Femenina

Canyon-Sram rider Chloé Dygert has abandoned the Vuelta Femenina ahead of today's sixth stage. 

The American, who finished third on stages two and three, will now focus on rest and recovery as she eases back into road racing. 

The team's sports director, Magnus Bäckstedt, said: “Chloé has now raced 5 hard stages for her welcomed return to racing with the team. Together with our coaching staff, we’ve decided that Chloé won’t take the start for stage six. It will allow Chloé the time to recover and prepare for her next race.”

Dygert suffered a freak crash during the individual time trial at the 2020 World Championships, lacerating her leg on a road barrier. She has competed in just three road races since the accident; the Olympic Games road race in 2021, last year's Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, and now the Vuelta Femenina. 

Canyon-Sram will compete with six riders for the remaining two stages of the race, which concludes on Sunday.

Giro d'Italia stories you may have missed

Ahead of today's Grande Partenza, here are a few Giro d'Italia pieces to get you clued in on this year's race: 

- Full route analysis
- Eight riders to watch
- How Covid has already impacted the race
- Mark Cavendish 'hungry' for a stage win
- Charlie Quarterman's rags to riches Giro selection
- Five key stages that will define the race
- How to watch the Giro d'Italia 2023

Giro d'Italia live updates

The opening stage of the Giro d'Italia is about to begin. Strap in for live updates of today's individual time trial, a 19.6km course down the Adriatic coast from Fossacesia Marina to Ortona. 

Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) has won the opening time trial twice at his home Grand Tour. Is anyone betting against him doing it for a third time? 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: The first rider is down the ramp. Laurens Huys of Intermarché-Circus-Wanty gets the Giro d'Italia underway. Provided he isn't tagged, the Belgian will lay claim to being the first person in the hot seat. 

'If I can take the pink jersey, why not?' 

In his pre-race press conference on Thursday, world champion Remco Evenepoel revealed he has his eyes on the maglia rosa in today's time trial. 

"If I can take the pink jersey on Saturday, why not?" he said. "Last year I won the Vuelta [a España] with the red jersey on stage six, so I think we've already shown we are capable of controlling the race for long periods." 

Asked about his tactic for the Italian Grand Tour, Evenepoel said: "My goal is to be the fastest from here in Fossacesia to Rome.

"I hope that I can be on the same level as [Primož Roglič] on the climbs, and just be on a better level in the time trials. I think that's a good recipe to try." 

Read more: 21 things you didn't know about Remco Evenepoel 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Oh to be by the Italian seaside. The riders out on the course are hugging the coast as they head south to Ortona. The hills are green, the water's blue, and fans at the roadside are all in short-sleeved t-shirts. What a day for it. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Campbell Stewart (Jayco AlUla) is averaging in excess of 52km/h. This is going to be a fast one. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Evenepoel, Roglič, Küng and Ganna will all roll out within a minute of each other later this afternoon. The Belgian starts at 15:34 BST. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: The first riders have finished. Huys clocks 24:28 over the line, with Stewart closely following to take the race lead. 

Vuelta Femenina 2023: Don't forget that stage six of the Vuelta Femenina is taking place now, too. There's a lot of drama. Annemiek van Vleuten has pulled a select group clear, with red-jersey-wearer Demi Vollering currently trailing the peloton. 

We'll provide reaction from the race once it's finished. There's 41km to go. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: New fastest time for Nico Denz (Bora-Hansgrohe) - 22:41. Must've been the Specialized helmet head sock. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Stefan de Bod (EF Education-EasyPost) is now in the hot seat. I'll be honest, the top of the leaderboard is going to change a lot in the first hour or so. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Here's a closer look at the scenery in Italy. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Thomas Gloag is down the ramp. This time yesterday, the 21-year-old didn't know he was going to be riding the Giro d'Italia. Now he's decked out in his skinsuit and hurtling down the Adriatic coast. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Here's some reaction from Rohan Dennis (Jumbo-Visma) at the finish line - "That last climb hurts, and if you've got the legs you can punch over it. I didn't, but hopefully Primož [Roglič] does." 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Jonathan Milan (Bahrain Victorious), an Olympic gold medallist in the team pursuit, comes close to De Bod's fastest time, but falls 13 seconds short. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Let's take a moment to appreciate Ben Healy's resplendent Irish tricolour set-up. Would it have killed EF to give him some green socks?  

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) has gone fastest at the first time check. The Dane means business, it appears. 

Vuelta Femenina 2023: There's a photo finish at the Vuelta Femenina! A close call between Gaia Realini and Annemiek van Vleuten. 

Vuelta Femenina 2023: Gaia Realini wins stage six! Van Vleuten gets the consolation prize of the red jersey going into the final day. 

We'll have reaction from the race a little later on.  

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Pedersen has unseated De Bod. The Trek-Segafredo rider's time to beat is 22-20. 

Vuelta Femenina 2023: Here's the bike throw that earned 21-year-old Gaia Realini her first WorldTour victory at today's Vuelta Femenina stage. 

"I don’t have words for this day," the Italian said afterwards. More reaction to follow. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) has taken a significant chunk out of Pedersen's time. 22-06 for the American, 14 seconds faster. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: McNulty is in the hot seat. 

Vuelta Femenina 2023: Hold tight. It looks like the commissaires have changed their minds, and have now awarded the stage win to Annemiek van Vleuten. 

Vuelta Femenina 2023: Van Vleuten was announced as the winner in the podium ceremony, but the Vuelta Femenina Twitter account has just announced Realini as the winner. Some real mixed signals here. 

Vuelta Femenina 2023: The result now appears to be confirmed. After a second review of the photo finish imagery, Realini has been awarded the stage win. Van Vleuten leads the GC. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Right, back to the Giro. Evenepoel is off in about 20 minutes. McNulty continues to lead the standings.

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Scrap that. McNulty's team-mate Jay Vine has just bettered him by two seconds. UAE Team Emirates are looking very strong, with João Almeida still to come. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Geraint Thomas and Tao Geoghegan Hart are both out on the course. A Tour de France winner, and the only former Giro winner on this race's start list. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Geoghegan Hart is the first rider to beat the 22-minute mark! 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Tao Geoghegan Hart is in the hot seat. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Well that didn't last long. Almeida takes 10 seconds off Geoghegan Hart's time. UAE Team Emirates return to the hot seat.  

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Evenepoel flies down the ramp. The road world champion's Giro campaign is underway. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: And here's the Olympic champion. Primož Roglič sets off. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Another champion follows. This time it's the Italian national champion (and my pick for the stage) Filippo Ganna.  

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Ganna and Evenepoel keep having to push their bodies back into the saddle - a clear sign that they're drilling some serious watts. We've not seen much footage of Roglič. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Evenepoel is up 20 seconds on the fastest time at the first time check. 20 SECONDS!

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Roglič is 26 seconds down on Evenepoel at the halfway mark. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Evenepoel is up 12 seconds on Ganna, too. Could the world champion be headed for the first pink jersey? It certainly looks like it. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: With 3.5km to go, Evenepoel has tagged and passed his minute man, Daan Hoole (Trek-Segafredo). 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Evenepoel sets a new best time of 21-18. A jaw-dropping performance, that probably won't be beaten.

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Roglič crosses the line 43 seconds down on Evenepoel. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Küng clocks in 43 seconds down, too.

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: Ganna finishes in 21-40, putting him in second provisionally, 22 seconds down on Evenepoel. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: There are a few riders still to come home, but it'll take a miracle to unseat Evenepoel. 

Giro d'Italia 2023 stage one: It's confirmed. Evenepoel wins the opening stage, beating Ganna to the pink jersey by a whopping 22 seconds. 

I'll have a full race report up on the site soon. 

That's all from me on this live blog. Here's the full report from today's opening stage of the Giro d'Italia stage. 

Hats off to Evenepoel on a mammoth ride.