Vuelta a España (st. 1)
Portuguese specialist completes brilliant performance in Málaga's 8km course; Amador takes 14th as Alejandro + Nairo stay on top of many GC contenders.
It was a very solid performance from the Movistar Team in the opening time trial of the 73rd Vuelta a España, held on Saturday over eight kilometers across the streets and monuments of the city of Málaga. The squad managed by Eusebio Unzué had three riders within the top 20 of today’s CRI, including a brilliant Nelson Oliveira, who grabbed the day’s 4th place after leading the opening effort of the Spanish Grand Tour for most of the evening.
The multiple Portuguese TT champion clocked a time of 9’56”, only improved by Victor Campenaerts (LTS), Michal Kwiatkowski (SKY) and the first leader, Rohan Dennis (BMC), who finished in an impressive 9’39”. Just over ten minutes were Andrey Amador (14th, +23″), Alejandro Valverde (16th, +24″) and Nairo Quintana, who improved the times of many GC contenders to sit just half a minute behind the red leader’s jersey.
The ‘Cóndor’ and his Movistar team-mates -the third best squad in today’s ride- will tackle a first test of attention on the 163km stage two, featuring four rated climbs and an uphill finish towards the Alto de Guadalhorce (Cat-3), less than half a kilometer before the arrival to the Caminito del Rey.
REACTIONS:
Alejandro Valverde: “I didn’t take any risks. As well on the flat as in the uphill section I was going ‘full gas’, but at the various turns and into the descent, I was riding cautiously. I wasn’t eager at all to risk a crash, with everything still to be ridden in this Vuelta; we all know how much time, skin and chances you can lose if you suffer such an incident, and I know it even more so after what happened to me in the Tour last year. Apart from that, I’ve felt well. I found myself riding strong and comfortably on the TT bike, and having these legs really gives me motivation for what’s to come. I’m so happy to have seen such large crowds coming to Málaga to watch us ride; it’s been a spectacular départ, and I hope the rest of the route is as populated as this. Two leaders for this team? No. There’s only one: Nairo. I’ve got a free role, I’m thinking about the Worlds, and he’s really willing to do well here and take advantage from this chance. Surely we’ll fight for the race outright.”
Nairo Quintana: “It was a result within what we expected. We wanted to do well in this TT, seek for some good legs, making a real test to see how our body reacted after the Tour. It’s important to give your system a real shock, especially in the case of those riders, like the five of us who were coming over from the Tour, who have had no racing on our legs after Paris. This time trial is good motivation for us. We’ve got a really strong, balanced team for this race, and we want to enjoy the Vuelta and make our fans happy. The upcoming few days will be about staying away from trouble, racing near the front at all times and also take some cautious in this slippery Andalusian roads, where you can suffer some troubles where you don’t expect them. We must stay into alert.”
Picture (c): Photo Gomez Sport