Gallery: Behind the scenes of the Giro’s opening week

The flag of the 2012 Giro d'Italia flies high in the start city of Herning, Denmark. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Colors abound at the team presentation for the 2012 Giro with the Farnese Vini-Selle Italia team taking "brightest" honors. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Each rider in the Giro has a number plate placed on the follow car for the stage 1 TT. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

This young Danish fan is torn between national pride and a clear devotion to Basso and his home country of Italy. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Riders in the stage 1 TT of the Giro raced through the pristine streets of Herning, Denmark. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

It's the Giro and everything is taken up a notch. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Riders of the Giro sign the translucent board prior to the start of the stage 2 in Herning, Denmark. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The Danes fully embraced the 2012 Giro start with crowded streets and endless cheers for this historic depart. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Fans in Denmark lined the roads throughout the countryside eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Giro. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The Danes went mad for the start of the Giro, even dressing their livestock in the maglia rosa. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Cold but beautiful skies greeted the riders of the 2012 Giro in Denmark. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

It's the Giro, and sprint finish crashes are inevitable. This one claims Mark Cavendish and maglia rosa Taylor Phinney, among others. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Despite crossing the finish line in an ambulance, Taylor Phinney would not give up after a nasty finishing-straight crash, and emerged onto the podium to claim his pink jersey, ice pack and all. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Team NetApp warms up on trainers before the TTT. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The Giro Stage 4 TTT finished on the historic Piazza Bra in Verona, Italy. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The cobblestones of the Piazza Bra provided one last element of pain for the riders in the always-challenging team time trial at the 2012 Giro. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

Stage 6 of the Giro started in the hilltop city of Urbino, Italy. Photo: BrakeThrough Media

The route and course profile is almost as important to the photographers on motos as it is to the riders in the Giro d'Italia. Photo: BrakeThrough Media