Vuelta a Espana 2021 : Stage 1 – Roglic rides into red in Burgos

We started Vuelta 2021 as we left it… with Primoz Roglic in the red jersey. Astana’s Alex Aranburu had spent most of a sweltering day in the #hothot seat, daring to dream that he could win his first Vuelta stage, but the defending champion wasn’t having any of it. And quite rightly, he has already put precious seconds into his main rivals.

And we’re off

A super-short but super-technical individual time trial that started at the door of Burgos Cathedral – could you ask for a more majestic start?

Quite amazing start ramp to 2021 Vuelta @PhotoGomezSport pic.twitter.com/hyMb27K9ij

— Andrew Hood (@EuroHoody) August 14, 2021

You even get to warm down in the cathedral when you’ve blasted to victory

⛪️ ¡Qué lugar para relajarse, @rogla!

✨What a place for cooling down, @rogla!#LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/CbO8em0MVS

— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 14, 2021

Out on the course, Roglic did not take any prisoners.

Etapa 1 – Stage 1 | #LaVuelta21

🇪🇸 Revive el último kilómetro de la victoria de @rogla en la contrarreloj inicial gracias a @CarrefourES
🇬🇧 Live the last km. of Primož Roglič's victory in today's TT thanks to @CarrefourES #CarrefourConLaVuelta pic.twitter.com/1YQ6MwlS27

— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 14, 2021

Hot seats

Alex Aranburu smiles when he realises that the last rider took his stage win, but you know it hurts

Very happy for Roglic 🥳 but also feeling quite heartbroken for Aranburu. 🥺#LaVuelta21 #couchpeloton pic.twitter.com/CUb3uWZ7wW

— AnnaMac (@AnnamacB) August 14, 2021

And Aranburu had to sit in the sweltering heat!

The "hot seat" in today's ITT is really a HOT seat with temperatures of 38º, let the 🔥 games begin! #LaVuelta21

— Nancy Arreola (@Nancy_Arreola) August 14, 2021

GC round-up

It’s a long race – it’s a tough race (have you seen some of the gradients in the mountains! Egad!) and anything could happen. That said, all the GC hopefuls have some time to make up on Roglic already

❤️ @rogla: "You never know what can happen. I’m super happy with how it went. Big stages are coming"

❤️Roglič 🇸🇮 : "Nunca sabes qué puede pasar y estoy muy contento de cómo ha salido. Hay grandes etapas por delante"#LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/KQKROMWjwN

— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 14, 2021

Roglič already 27 seconds up on Bernal after 7km of #LaVuelta21
Vlasov at 14, Mas 18, Adam Yates 20, López 21, Carapaz 25, Carthy 33, Landa 39….

— Daniel Ostanek (@LVCKV) August 14, 2021

Mikel Landa nearly missed his start time, having to scramble to get clipped in on his bike while the countdown was on. That does not bode well.

#LaVuelta21, Stage 1 (7.1 km, ITT). Events in 5 seconds: Landa almost missed the start time and a dog in the homestretch. pic.twitter.com/7wcJbisINd

— ammattipyöräily (@ammattipyoraily) August 14, 2021

Dog was nearly the latest victim of DSM’s management. pic.twitter.com/kHGXZObjSM

— Journal Velo (@JournalVelo) August 14, 2021

And this was just sweet.

#LaVuelta21

🗨️ "My family was there. They surprised me for extra motivation."

👏 Congrats on a great maiden GT stage, Tobias! pic.twitter.com/MplztqFXhr

— Alpecin-Fenix Cycling Team (@AlpecinFenix) August 14, 2021

It will be a hot sprint finish on Stage 2 …

The first for the fastmen.

Stage 2: Caleruega > Burgos (167km)

An arrow-straight, headwind finish will suit the big and powerful sprinters. But which one will come out on top? Let's take a look…#PreviewTime #LaVuelta21 https://t.co/0cO43JPR1H pic.twitter.com/pUDTVj9Au5

— Will Newton (@InsidePeloton96) August 14, 2021