Former world champion Mads Pedersen has grabbed the first pink jersey in the 108th edition of the Giro d'Italia on a bruising day for the Australian challenge in Albania.
Danish star Pedersen outsprinted Belgian standout Wout van Aert by half a wheel to grab the honours in the opening stage of the Grande Partenza, a hilly 160km trek from Durres to the capital Tirana as the great race went across the Adriatic to Albania for the first time.
But Australian ace Jay Vine, fresh from finishing on the podium at the Tour de Romandie, suffered a crash five kilometres from home and ended up finishing almost four minutes adrift.
