Vuelta a Espana 2024 Stage 1 LIVE – Josh Tarling backed to take opening Vuelta TT and first red jersey
Vuelta a España
Stage 1 | Flat | Men | 17.08.2024
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Updated 17/08/2024 at 18:52 GMT
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19:47
BEFORE SIGNING OFF, I'M GONNA DO A ROUGH 'REAL' GC
Of the riders we can expect to be contesting the overall, as McNulty has said he won't be.
1. Primoz Roglic 12'52
2. Joao Almeida +2
3. Mathias Skjelmose +5
4. Antonio Tiberi +10
5. Thymen Arensman +12
6. Tao Geoghegan Hart +14
7. Danny Martinez +16
8. Adam Yates +17
9. Eddie Dunbar +25
10. Enric Mas +25
2. Joao Almeida +2
3. Mathias Skjelmose +5
4. Antonio Tiberi +10
5. Thymen Arensman +12
6. Tao Geoghegan Hart +14
7. Danny Martinez +16
8. Adam Yates +17
9. Eddie Dunbar +25
10. Enric Mas +25
I've probably missed someone. These are the opinions of me, not my employer etc etc. Catch you tomorrow for round 2!
19:46
BRANDON MCNULTY: THIS IS HARD TO BELIEVE
"I really don't know if I expected to win, but I knew if something crazy happened I could. I was hoping for something good today but this is hard to believe. I had super good legs in training. I really went for the Olympics and since then I've had good legs and knew I could do something good but I didn't expect to win. There's not much pacing over twelve minutes. I just felt good and went as hard as I could. I knew at the split I just had to hold on and give everything I had. It's nice to be in the lead and I'll enjoy it for the few days that we have it, but it's no secret that we have two strong leaders in Joao and Adam. I'll do everything I can to help them."
"I really don't know if I expected to win, but I knew if something crazy happened I could. I was hoping for something good today but this is hard to believe. I had super good legs in training. I really went for the Olympics and since then I've had good legs and knew I could do something good but I didn't expect to win. There's not much pacing over twelve minutes. I just felt good and went as hard as I could. I knew at the split I just had to hold on and give everything I had. It's nice to be in the lead and I'll enjoy it for the few days that we have it, but it's no secret that we have two strong leaders in Joao and Adam. I'll do everything I can to help them."
19:38
IT WAS 'TERRIBLE' SAYS TARLING
"I just felt so bad, really. Not to take away away from Affini but I just felt flat. I struggled the week between the Olympics and this. I just felt like a brick. Headwise and training-wise I felt like I was on it and confident but got going and I sank."
19:32
BRANDON MCNULTY WINS STAGE 1 OF LA VUELTA 2024!
His second Grand Tour win, not first as I typed earlier, but his first of a TT kind. Not his first TT win this year, though - his third, in fact.
19:31
WOUT VAN AERT JUST MISSES OUT
Third for him, three seconds from first.
19:29
BRANDON MCNULTY HAS MONSTERED THIS
We haven't been following him until the final metres, but his clock stays green by two seconds. Only Wout van Aert can deprive McNulty of his first Grand Tour stage win.
19:27
TAO GEOGHEGAN HART 29 SECONDS DOWN
He should be very happy with that. He's in the game, that's for sure.
19:26
WOUT VAN AERT FASTEST AT THE INTERMEDIATE
By one single second. He's going to have to be able to do what Tarling couldn't, and finish strongly. Vacek doesn't look too concerned.
19:24
ROGLIC STOPS THE CLOCK AT 12'52
Shipping just 15 seconds to Vacek, he went from 9th to 6th in the second half.
19:22
TAO GEOGHEGAN HART LOOKING GOOD SO FAR
17th and 18 seconds down at the check is pretty tasty. Would be a very competitive start for Lotte Wubben-Moy's partner.
19:22
STEFAN KUNG SECOND AT THE FINISH
The only rider other than Vacek to beat Affini. Obviously.
19:20
ROGLIC 13 SECONDS DOWN AT THE SPLIT
It means he won't win the stage, but it puts him on course for a faster time than any of the other overall hopefuls.
19:18
HERE GOES WOUT!
He shoots out of the start gate like he's got a train to catch. He wants this one, that's for sure. You get the sense he's got some making up to do for his season and a win here would be a decent start.
19:12
PRIMOZ ROGLIC DOWN THE RAMP
How has the three time champion recovered from his Tour de France travails? He needs to put in a big performance here.
19:09
KUSS LOOKING AT A TOP FIFTY PLACE AT BEST
Not a disaster but he will have hoped for better than 51 seconds off the pace. It means he has time to make up on his rivals. Wout van Aert and Primoz Roglic are coming out imminently.
19:08
ALMEIDA SLOTS HIMSELF INTO THE TOP TEN
The fastest of the GC riders so far, 17 seconds down on Vacek. Kuss coming in next.
19:04
MATHIAS VACEK IS THE NEW LEADER
The Czech champion flies stops the clock at 12'37, six seconds quicker than the Italian. Wow! Affini can only his hat off to the Lidl-Trek rider, and vacate the chair.
19:02
MATHIAS FASTEST AT THE TIME CHECK!
Two seconds quicker than Tarling. Goodness, that's a turnip for the books. Can he hold it?
18:59
IS IT THE WIND?
No disrespect to Affini intended, because he's a more than competent time triallist, but it's a big surprise to see him beat the European champion. I guess we'll see how Tarling's time compares to the riders behind him.
18:57
ALMEIDA AND KUSS GET THEIR VUELTAS UNDERWAY
The former receives a more rapturous reception than the latter, as you might expect. The comparison of Kuss will be with Roglic and Almeida and Yates more than any others. He's the leader now, like it or not.