Stage 1 TTT: Valencia to Valencia (16 km)
When: Sunday, April 28
Where to watch: 🇬🇧🇪🇺 Discovery +/Eurosport, 🇺🇸 Peacock, 🇨🇦 FloBikes, 🇦🇺 SBS
When to watch: 🇬🇧 14:45 BST, 🇪🇺 15:45 CEST, 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 9:45 EDT, 🇦🇺 23:45 AEST
Stage type: Team Time Trial
What to expect: The strength of teams will be tested, but the time gaps shouldn’t make or break any general classification hopes.
Stage summary:
La Vuelta España Femenina kicks off on Sunday with a team time trial – the race of teams against the clock. At only 16 km long, the stage isn’t one that will decide the general classification, although it could make minor dents depending on what happens. Overall, the course is a flat, very straightforward out and back, with a few twists and turns at the very beginning and near the finish line.
Last year the race started with a 14.5 km TTT that had one minor incline. The winning time was 18:03, set by Visma-Lease a Bike, with Canyon-SRAM finishing only one second behind. The third fastest was Lidl-Trek, nine seconds down on Visma-Lease a Bike.
The finishing times will be around 18 minutes once again, but Lidl-Trek is favoured to take it thanks to the return of Ellen van Dijk. Last year’s second-fastest team Canyon-SRAM is also a strong contender for the stage, but SD Worx-Protime is a bit more of an unknown. Marlen Reusser will be back in the peloton, but even with the European ITT champion the Dutch team only finished fifth last year. Just because a team has the strongest time trialist does not mean they will win it. It’s more about combined strength, and the ability to work together and communicate.
My pick: Based on their team performances lately and the combined strength of the team, I’m looking at Canyon-SRAM to take the first red jersey of the race.
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