Vuelta Stage Report: Stage 1 of the 2022 Vuelta a España by way of the streets of Utrecht was gained by the very highly effective Jumbo-Visma staff. It wasn’t the winner of the earlier three Vueltas that pulled on the leaders pink jersey, however Robert Gesink.
Stage 1 highlights
A storming journey by Jumbo-Visma
Jumbo-Visma has had a wonderful begin to the Vuelta a España. In Utrecht, the Dutch staff set the quickest time over the 23.3 kilometre staff time trial. Robert Gesink was the primary rider to cross the road and the primary general chief.
Fernando Escartín: “An inaugural time trial longer than that of earlier editions. 23.3 km that may cross Utrecht by way of its broad avenues, with out technical difficulties. No important variations are anticipated among the many main groups. Dutch followers, who’re really keen about biking, will assure spectator success.”
Two years later than initially deliberate, the Vuelta a España began in Utrecht. The Spanish Grand Tour ought to have been within the Netherlands in 2020, however, as we all know Covid-19 put it on maintain. Vuelta race director Javier Guillén had not forgotten Utrecht. So the 2022 Vuelta a España began with a 23 kilometre staff time trial on a totally flat course.
First staff down the ramp – Burgos-BH
Warming up within the mild Utrecht rain
The primary staff to roll down the beginning ramp was Burgos-BH. The Spanish staff needed to exchange Madrazo, however nonetheless began with one man quick as Manuel Peñalver was additionally unable to journey. Burgos-BH set the primary ending time, however they had been overwhelmed first by Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert, then Israel-Premier Tech.
The same old chaos on the Vuelta end line
Israel-Premier Tech
Groupama-FDJ, the staff of Thibaut Pinot, set first goal time of 25:18. Arkéa Samsic, which had began with out Nairo Quintana, was the primary staff to get near the French staff’s time. Cofidis, Euskaltel-Euskadi and EF Schooling-EasyPost, the staff of Rigoberto Urán, Hugh Carthy and Esteban Chaves, additionally didn’t make it. BikeExchange-Jayco had been quicker; Simon Yates and his males clocked in 25:11 and had been 7 seconds quicker than Pinot and co.
BikeExchange-Jayco set the very best time at one level
AG2R Citroën, Ben O’Connor’s staff, conceded 24 seconds, Bahrain Victorious, with Mikel Landa, Gino Mäder and Wout Poels, was 11 seconds wanting the quickest time. Lotto Soudal got here in with a spot of greater than a minute, Alpecin-Deceuninck and Kern Pharma each crossed the road with good ending occasions. DSM, with Thymen Arensman, restricted their loss to 22 seconds. BORA-hansgrohe had been fast on the intermediate level and did simply that little bit higher than the Yates staff.
Groupama-FDJ
An anticipated good journey type UAE Staff Emirates
The German staff of Sergio Higuita, Jai Hindley and Wilco Kelderman couldn’t maintain their velocity and misplaced a while on BikeExchange-Jayco and Groupama-FDJ within the second half and needed to accept the provisional third greatest time. UAE Staff Emirates got here near setting the quickest time; João Almeida’s staff was solely 2 seconds.
An excellent time for Kern
Euskadi-Euskaltel
The Astana Qazaqstan staff of Miguel Ángel López and Vincenzo Nibali, in white package, didn’t attain the highest time, however didn’t free an excessive amount of both. Trek-Segafredo had been additionally not removed from the quickest time. The final groups to begin had been all fast on the intermediate level: INEOS Grenadiers, Fast-Step Alpha Vinyl, Movistar and Jumbo-Visma, with Jumbo-Visma being the quickest of the bunch.
Typical Dutch structure
EF Schooling-EasyPost
INEOS Grenadiers, with Richard Carapaz beginning his closing Grand Tour for the squad, was the primary staff to go beneath the BikeExchange-Jayco time. The British staff stopped the clock after 24:53 and had been the primary beneath 25 minutes. The subsequent was Fast-Step Alpha Vinyl; Remco Evenepoel and his teammates had been 77 hundredths wanting the highest time. Movistar misplaced three males and half a minute.
Evenepoel was the robust man within the Fast-Step staff
Second quickest time for INEOS Grenadiers
The final staff on the street was Jumbo-Visma. The yellow and black practice had been the quickest on the intermediate level and didn’t lose any riders. In the long run, the Jumbo males stopped the clock after 24:40, 13 seconds quicker than INEOS Grenadiers. Fast-Step Alpha Vinyl had been at 14 seconds in third place. Robert Gesink crossed the end line first, and so the 36 year-old veteran pulled on the primary chief’s pink jersey.
tenth place for Movistar
The profitable staff – Jumbo-Visma
General chief, Robert Gesink (Jumbo-Visma): “I can’t actually imagine it. I’m actually grateful to the boys. They had been so so loopy robust and I’m actually grateful to be within the pink jersey. That’s positively one of many highlights of my profession. We heard some intermediate occasions they usually had been quick however clearly you must make it to the top. All the pieces can occur in a staff time-trial however I knew this staff had the chance to win for certain as a result of there are such a lot of robust guys on this group. The plan was to stay with Primoz [Roglič] clearly and the strongest guys. Normally, my job is to assist the staff and to assist Primoz. I believe it’s a very nice approach from them to say thanks for the previous few years of serving to. Using on residence soil with the pink jersey will probably be like a dream come true.”
Robert Gesink in pink
# Hold it PEZ for all the pieces Vuelta. #
Vuelta a España Stage 1 Outcome:
1. Jumbo-Visma (Ned) in 24:40
2. INEOS Grenadiers (GB) at 0:13
3. Fast-Step Alpha Vinyl (Bel) at 0:14
4. BikeExchange-Jayco (Aus) at 0:31
5. UAE Staff Emirates (UAE) at 0:33
6. Groupama-FDJ (Fra) at 0:38
7. BORA-hansgrohe (Ger) at 0:41
8. Trek-Segafredo (USA) at 0:42
9. Bahrain-Victorious (Bah)
10. Movistar (Spa) at 0:43.
Vuelta a España General After Stage 1:
1. Robert Gesink (Ned) Jumbo-Visma in 24:40
2. Primož Roglič (Slo) Jumbo-Visma
3. Chris Harper (Aus) Jumbo-Visma
4. Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma
5. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Jumbo-Visma
6. Edoardo Affini (Ita) Jumbo-Visma
7. Sam Oomen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
8. Mike Teunissen (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
9. Ethan Hayter (GB) INEOS Grenadiers at 0:13
10. Richard Carapaz (Eu) INEOS Grenadiers.
Like PEZ? Why not subscribe to our weekly e-newsletter to obtain updates and reminders on what’s cool in street biking?
