Boels-Dolmans take opening stage of Giro Rosa

World team time-trial champions Boels-Dolmans won the Giro Rosa's opening discipline as their Canadian rider Karol-Ann Canuel took the overall race lead.

The 11.5-kilometres team time-trial from Aquileia to Grado began the race on Friday, with nine stages remaining before the conclusion in Torre del Greco, near Naples, on July 9.

Boels-Dolmans were the only team to break 15 minutes, winning in 14 minutes 47 seconds, ahead of Team Sunweb - without European time-trial champion Ellen van Dijk - in 15 mins 09 secs and Orica-Scott, who finished in 15:09.