Former world champion Mads Pedersen narrowly beat Wout van Aert in a sprint finish to win the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia and claim the first pink jersey of this year’s race, which started in Albania for the first time.

The white smoke may have finally appeared above the Vatican, but Italy’s great race will see a miasma of pink dance across the roofs of ancient clay when the race concludes there in three weeks’ time.

Wout van Aert, Tom Pidcock and Mads Pedersen among the favourites on a hilly opening day to the year’s first Grand Tour