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Carapaz stops the clock 32 seconds down on Affine but one second down on Mas, who’s the de facto provisional leader from a GC perspective.
Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) gets underway – a sensational 20-year-old neo-pro who makes his three-week debut here. No pressure, but plenty of excitement over what he might do at this Vuelta.
Edoardo Affini into the lead
Danny Martínez (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is underway. The Colombian was the runner-up at the Giro but could find himself playing second fiddle to Roglič here. Ben O’Connor, who had a mixed Giro finishing in fourth, also gets going with hopes of the podium.
Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious) gets going after his breakthrough fifth-place finish at the Giro d’Italia. We’re about to see a Grand Tour champion, too, in Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), who had a strong end to the Tour de France and has the quality to calibre for the overall victory here.
Campenaerts with an early benchmark
Irish talent Darren Rafferty (EF Education-EasyPost) finishes a second of Mas’ pace.
Enric Mas comes to the finish and has the best time so far, with 13:14. That’s five seconds quicker than Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious), another former Vuelta podium finisher.
We mentioned the wind earlier on, and while it is blowing from inland, it is very strong indeed. The course is quite well sheltered but there are regular occasions where it funnels through gaps in the buildings, creating a gusty scenario which is making things a little wobbly for the riders out there.
Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) is on the start ramp. A very good time triallist on his day, a very good climber, too. He hasn’t yet developed into a real GC man, and that surely won’t be the case at this Vuelta, given he only recently returned from the life-threatening injuries he suffered in that Basque Country crash in April. Good to see him back here.
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