Tirreno Adriatico Stage 1: Mark Cavendish in race lead after Omega Pharma-Quick Step win team time trial

Mark Cavendish is the first leader of the 2013 Tirreno Adriatico after his Omega Pharma-Quick Step team, world champions in the team time trial, won today's opening stage in a time of 19 minutes 24 second. Movistar finished second, 11 seconds dowm, with BMC Racing third, a further five seconds back.

The 16.9 kilometre stage from San Vincenzo to Donoratico was played out under a downpour that made conditions hazardous at times.

Cavendish, who revealed afterwards that he holidays in August on this part of the Tuscan coast - admittedly when there is better weather than today's rain - has a history of taking stage race leads in Italy after his team has won an opening time trial.

Twice, he has worn the Giro d'Italia's maglia rosa after his former HTC Highroad team prevailed on the opening day, although in the second occasion, in 2011, team mate Marco Pinotti was the first man to wear it, Cavendish taking over the jersey the following day afer picking up bonus seconds for finishing second in Stage 1 to Parma.

Tirreno-Adriatico Stage 1 result

1  Omega Pharma-Quick Step   19:24 
2  Movistar Team            + 0:11 
3  BMC                      + 0:16 
4  Cannondale               + 0:19 
5  Astana                   + 0:20 
6  Orica-Greenedge          + 0:24 
7  Sky                      + 0:25 
8  Team Saxo-Tinkoff        + 0:32 
9  Lampre-Merida            + 0:35 
10 RadioShack-Leopard       + 0:36 
11 Blanco                   + 0:37 
12 NetApp-Endura            + 0:39 
13 Katusha                  + 0:44 
14 Argps-Shimano            + 0:51 
15 Lotto-Belisol            + 0:55 
16 Garmin-Sharp             + 0:57 
17 MTN-Qhubeka              + 1:00 
18 FDJ                      + 1:02 
19 Vacansoleil-DCM          + 1:04 
20 Ag2r-La Mondiale         + 1:05 
21 Vini Fantini             + 1:06 
22 Euskaltel-Euskadi