Tinkoff Credit Systems won the opening stage of the 38th Settimana Ciclista Lombarda - an 18.3km team time-trial around Brignano.

Tinkoff finished the course just eight seconds ahead of LPR Brakes, with Rabobank Continental, CSF Group Navigare, and Acqua Sapone-Caffè Mokambo coming next.

The result means that former Tour of Qatar winner Alberto Loddo takes the leader's jersey.

Amongst the starters from second-place LPR Brakes was last year's controversial Giro winner Danilo Di Luca who remains under doping investigation from the Italian Olympic Committee.

The race runs until April 6th with the second stage seeing the riders make the 163.8km trek from Brignano to Costa Volpino.

Eurosport