Stage 1

The road

At the start

A team time trial, and July's rematch

The Vuelta opens with a 28-kilometre team time trial in Galicia and a start list the summer never gave us: Chris Froome arrives from a third Tour de France, Nairo Quintana from second place in it, Alberto Contador from an abandon, Esteban Chaves from a Giro podium. Nobody wins a Grand Tour this afternoon, but on a course this short a strong team can hand its leader half a minute before he has raced anybody.

How it was won

1. 119 km to go

   Sky eight seconds up

   At the first check of the 27.8km team time trial in Galicia, Froome's Team Sky already hold eight seconds on Movistar, with BMC and Orica close behind.

2. 210 km to go

   Movistar close in

   Nine kilometres later the gap is down to six seconds, and BMC have nudged their own noses in front. The opening day of the Vuelta is going to be decided by fractions.

3. 3At the line

   Sky by less than half a second

   Team Sky stop the clock at 30:37 and edge out Movistar by under half a second. Peter Kennaugh leads Froome and the rest over the line and takes the first red jersey of the race.

The result