David Millar hugs DS Matt White after the finish of the TTT.

Slipstream’s American Christian Vande Velde in pink! David Zabriskie crosses the finish line in second. American Christian Vande Velde donned the Giro d’Italia’s pink leader’s jersey on Saturday after the team won the stage race’s opening team time trial.

Slipstream, which also won the team time trial at the Tour de Geogia last month, defeated CSC by about six seconds over the 23km course. Team High Road was third, just a fraction of a second behind CSC.

Final results

1. Slipstream, 26:32
2. CSC, 26:38
3. High Road, 26:38
4. Liquigas, 26:40
5. Barloworld, 26:45
6. LPR brakes, 27:00
7. Astana, 27:01
8. Tinkoff, 27:05
9. Quick Step, 27:14
10. Lampre, 27:17
11. Milram, 27:17
12. Serramenti Diquigiovanni, 27:23
13. Gerolsteiner, 27:26
14. Caisse d’Epargne, 27:26
15. Saunier Duval, 27:34
16. Rabobank, 27:35
17. AG2R Mondiale, 27:35
18. Cofidis, 27:35
19. CSF Navigare, 27:47
20. Euskaltel, 27:47
21. Silence-Lotto, 27:50
22. Franaise des Jeux, 27:58