During this year’s Tour de France, one would be forgiven for thinking there is only one good team in world cycling: Sky Procycling. However one cannot make that mistake now after Movistar’s scintillating victory at last night’s team time trial.
With the stage only 16.5km around the streets of Pamplona, times were always going to be close, with that most certainly being the case.
After Rabobank produced the quickest time early with a strong time of 19:03, four teams came within 3 seconds of the Dutch team’s mark including Chris Froome’s outfit, Team Sky which underperformed and finished a disappointing 5th place.
As the stage went on, it seemed nobody could break Rabobank’s threshold on the stage victory. However that all changed when Movistar went well clear of the pack producing a very quick time of 18:51, 10 seconds faster than Rabobank.
This unexpected result reminds us of Movistar’s quality and along with Contador’s Saxo Bank, as well as Froome’s Sky, are a force to be contended with at this year’s Vuelta.
In the lead up to this year’s Vuelta many predicted the race around Spain to be a two horse contest, however it cannot be considered that way.
Movistar have undeniable quality amongst there lineup, with the likes of Juan Jose Cobo – the defending champion, and Alejandro Valverde the 2009 champion sure to be a force at this year’s edition of the Vuelta a Espana, which is the last grand tour on the cycling calendar.
One could even argue that Movistar have the best team in this year’s race, and whilst if someone announced that yesterday they would’ve been laughed at; today they will be applauded.
Movistar could well be the surprise packet of this year’s Vuelta; an inform Alejandro Valverde and Juan Jose Cobo could work well together and blow the peloton apart on their day.
In other action, Australian team Orica GreenEdge produced a moderate performance, finishing in 10th place at 33 seconds off the hot pace set by Movistar.
Stage 1 provided us some quality cycling action, but most importantly it reminded us that this year’s Vuelta is certainly not a two horse race.
Stage 2 is one for the sprinters, with a relatively flat 181km journey from Pamplona to Viana. Watch out for Orica GreenEdge rider, Allan Davis, as he attempts to record the stage victory.
Stage 1 ‘unsung hero’: Every day throughout the Vuelta I will award a rider or a team my ‘unsung hero’ award. The award is designed to praise riders or teams who have performed outstandingly, yet haven’t stood out amongst the media coverage.
Stage 1 unsung hero: BMC Racing. Without the likes of leading riders Cadel Evans and Tejay Van Garderen at this year’s Vuelta, BMC are not expected to perform, yet at last night’s stage they once more produced the goods. The American team finished in 4th place at only 10 seconds off the pace, beating rivals Team Sky by 2 seconds, an extraordinary feat considering the respective line ups of the two outfits. Well done, BMC Racing.
Stage standings:
Pos. Nº Name Team Time
1 2
CASTROVIEJO, Jonathan MOV 18′ 51”
2 6
MORENO, Javier MOV m.t. 1º
3 4
INTXAUSTI, Beñat MOV m.t. 1º
4 7
QUINTANA, Nairo Alexander MOV m.t. 1º
5 9
VALVERDE, Alejandro MOV m.t. 1º
6 1
COBO, Juan José MOV + 4”
7 148
TERPSTRA, Niki OPQ + 10”
8 142
CATALDO, Dario OPQ + 10”
9 143
DE WEERT, Kevin OPQ + 10”
10 149
VANDEWALLE, Kristof OPQ + 10”
11 144
PAUWELS, Serge OPQ + 10”
12 162
BOOM, Lars RAB + 10”
13 166
MOLLEMA, Bauke RAB + 10”
14 165
GARATE, Juan Manuel RAB + 10”
15 161
GESINK, Robert RAB + 10”
16 169
VAN WINDEN, Dennis RAB + 10”
17 41
GILBERT, Philippe BMC + 10”
18 45
EIJSSEN, Yannick BMC + 10”
19 42
BALLAN, Alessandro BMC + 10”
20 47
MOINARD, Amaël BMC + 10”
21 43
BOOKWALTER, Brent BMC + 10”
22 48
MORABITO, Steve BMC + 10”
Overall standings:
Pos. Nº Name Team Time
1 2
CASTROVIEJO, Jonathan MOV 18′ 51”
2 6
MORENO, Javier MOV m.t. 1º
3 4
INTXAUSTI, Beñat MOV m.t. 1º
4 7
QUINTANA, Nairo Alexander MOV m.t. 1º
5 9
VALVERDE, Alejandro MOV m.t. 1º
6 1
COBO, Juan José MOV + 4”
7 148
TERPSTRA, Niki OPQ + 10”
8 142
CATALDO, Dario OPQ + 10”
9 143
DE WEERT, Kevin OPQ + 10”
10 149
VANDEWALLE, Kristof OPQ + 10”
11 144
PAUWELS, Serge OPQ + 10”
12 162
BOOM, Lars RAB + 10”
13 166
MOLLEMA, Bauke RAB + 10”
14 165
GARATE, Juan Manuel RAB + 10”
15 161
GESINK, Robert RAB + 10”
16 169
VAN WINDEN, Dennis RAB + 10”
17 41
GILBERT, Philippe BMC + 10”
18 45
EIJSSEN, Yannick BMC + 10”
19 42
BALLAN, Alessandro BMC + 10”
20 47
MOINARD, Amaël BMC + 10”
21 43
BOOKWALTER, Brent BMC + 10”
22 48
MORABITO, Steve BMC + 10”
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