Vuelta a España stage 1: Team DSM

Nov 12, 2023

Rain didn't slow down Team DSM-Firmenich in the opening team time trial. Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

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BARCELONA (Velo) — Team DSM-Firmenich nipped Movistar in a nail-biter as heavy rain and encroaching darkness saw some of the overall favorites ride cautiously in the team time trial to open the Vuelta a España on Saturday.

Team DSM-Firmenich started early and fended off Movistar by fractions of a second to win the 14.8km team time trial. Defending champion Remco Evenepoel and his Soudal Quick-Step team stopped the clock at six seconds slower to be tied in third with EF Education-EasyPost.

Evenepoel later expressed his frustration as Team DSM-Firmenich celebrated its surprise win.

“We did not expect this,” said recently crowned U23 world time trial champion Lorenzo Milesi, who be in the red jersey. “We took some risks. We had a good power plan for the team, and I think it worked out, and we are very happy.”

Pre-stage favorite Jumbo-Visma lost 32 seconds when Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard punctured and the team waited for him.

“We didn’t expect so much rain, but it’s the same for everyone,” said Sepp Kuss. “It would have been better on a drier course, but we drove pretty well. We had a problem with Jonas and lost a bit of time but 30 seconds is not so important in the first stage. With such complicated weather, it’s better to go cautious through the corners, and don’t take any risks.”

#LaVuelta23

So sad 😭

It’s hard navigating the wet streets of Barcelona. It’s a domino effect out there! 🥹😞 pic.twitter.com/77AESNIsGO

— Team Jayco AlUla (@GreenEDGEteam) August 26, 2023

Oppressive heat gave way to the first rains in a month, and slick urban roads saw many of the GC favorites ride cautiously on the technical, winding course.

The later finishing teams almost finished in the dark as heavy clouds and rain closed down on Barcelona.

Movistar’s Enric Mas wasn’t overly upset to not have won the stage, and preferred to look at the upside of staying rubber side down.

“The most important thing was to not fall, and I think we did a good job,” Mas said. “We had a nice start to the Vuelta, and we want to keep it going like this day by day.”

In contrast, a number of teams did see fallers. These included the Jayco-AlUla squad, which saw multiple riders come down in a crash. Then, with team leader Eddie Dunbar pushing on near the end to try to claw back some time, the Irishman also hit the deck, conceding further ground.

Stage one of the Vuelta a España was a 14.8km team time trial around the streets of Barcelona, starting at the sea front and following a series of fast straights and slow right hand bends around the city.

The weather had been hot and humid in the days leading up to the race but the evening test was marred by heavy rain, something which saw numerous crashes and required teams to dial back on the effort.

Caja Rural-Seguros RGA was first off and were followed very soon afterwards by Team DSM Firmenich. They benefited from brighter light and drier roads than many of the later teams, and powered home to go 42 seconds better than the Spanish team.

Conditions turned gradually nastier after that. EF Education EasyPost gauged things well and gave up just six seconds, but a number of other teams were hit by crashes, including Arkea Samsic, Alpecin Deceuninck, Ineos Grenadiers, Jayco AlUla and others. Jayco’s team leader Eddie Dunbar fell close to the finish line but was able to remount and race in to the finish, although the squad would finish 51 seconds back in what was eventually 19th place.

In addition to a fall involving Laurens de Plus, Ineos was also hampered by a puncture by their fastest TT rider, Filipo Ganna, while Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard would also have a flat and need to change bike.

Ineos was provisionally fifth at the finish, 20 seconds down, while the Jumbo Visma riders were 12 seconds further back after waiting for Vingegaard’s bike change.

Wauw, TTT by night in the rain. Next headlights on the bike. pic.twitter.com/g7NnzYoaE4

— Richard Plugge (@RichardPlugge) August 26, 2023

Movistar had a much smoother ride and sped in just fractions behind DSM Firmenich, causing some nervous moments for the Dutch team while the split seconds were worked out.

Defending champion’s Remco Evenepoel’s team was last off and was racing in near-complete darkness, something he made an angry point about at the finish. However his team surrendered only six seconds to DSM Firmenich, meaning he gained 14 seconds on Ineos Grenadiers and 26 on Jumbo-Visma.

There’s a long, long way to go to Madrid but the Belgian has taken a solid time buffer at the earliest opportunity.

He may be frustrated by the stage conditions, yet he was one of the day’s big winners.