Stage 1: Vilanova de Arousa to Sanxenxo, 27.4km team time trial

This year’s Vuelta kicks off with an evening team time trial which starts from a well-anchored barge on the Ria de Arousa. You read that right. A barge.

This TTT is a tight and technical one with the first kilometres a particular challenge. Once the teams have negotiated those, they can rev up the speed along this 27km course. Movistar (last year’s TTT winners), Sky, OPQS – these teams will no doubt be vying for the first red jersey of the race.

Bit of trivia: The active cyclist with the most Vuelta stage wins is the now-he’s-retired, now-he’s-not, Alessandro Petacchi, with 20 – second on the all-time list. Delio Rodriguez is first with 39, stages he won in the 1940s.

Link: Official site

Header image: Reclining statue at the Sanxenxo waterfront