Extended Highlights - Stage 1 - La Vuelta 2023

  • el año pasado
WEB: https://www.lavuelta.es/es/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/lavuelta/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/lavuelta
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lavuelta/
TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@lavuelta
TWITCH: https://www.twitch.tv/la_vuelta
APP: https://www.lavuelta.es/es/applicatio...
PODCAST: https://www.lavuelta.es/es/la-carrera...

Unipublic S.A.U.

Category

🥇
Sports
Transcript
00:00 La Vuelta a España 2023 sets off this year from Barcelona, the capital, Cataluña.
00:09 With three intense weeks ahead, plenty of GC contenders making it tough to pick the
00:13 overall winner of the 78th edition of El Clásico.
00:17 Jumbo Visma are bringing two leaders, Primoz Roglic and the man who retained his Tour de
00:22 France crown, Jonas Finegaard, tackling La Bucla and La Vuelta for the first time.
00:29 I had a good preparation here, not the ideal one obviously, then you don't do the Tour
00:35 de France.
00:36 But I'm happy to be here, I think I'm in good shape and I am where I want to be so I'm looking
00:42 forward to it.
00:44 Finegaard happy to serve Roglic but if the Slovene hits the wall, the Dane perfectly
00:48 placed to lead.
00:49 In two short years, his team status has changed drastically.
00:54 We grew up, definitely it will be nice to have a strong guy beside me and we try to
01:02 do the best all together.
01:04 Reigning Vuelta champion Remco Evenpoel, recently crowned world time trial champion, is aiming
01:09 to do the double despite stiff competition.
01:11 I think it's going to be a super high level, the three last Grand Tour winners at the start
01:16 line is pretty special so it's going to be a very high level and I think it's going to
01:21 be an exciting three weeks.
01:23 Yet some outstanding outsiders prepared to make their mark, second at this year's Giro,
01:28 Geraint Thomas is doubling up with the Vuelta for the first time and Juan Ayuso, third in
01:33 the last edition, starts on his home roads of Barcelona.
01:36 I've never done Giro or Vuelta in the same season and trying to peak twice in the same
01:41 year so yeah, we'll see but I've done everything I could and what will be, will be now.
01:48 This year it's going to be hard even to be on the podium, I think if we had today here
01:54 then we have the best riders in the world in terms of GC competing so I think for me
02:00 it's a great opportunity to try and see where I'm at against the best and test my level.
02:08 As in 2022, a team time trial gets La Vuelta party in full swing, Jumbo Visma are victorious
02:14 in Utrecht 12 months ago and heavy favourites in Barna, Roglic and Winegard served by the
02:19 dream team of rulers Van Barel, Tratnik and Valtter, yet the team remains vigilant.
02:25 It's also a very different one than last year, it's way more technical I think this year
02:28 as I understand it, so maybe it's more about technique than it is about strength actually.
02:36 A grand opening for the 78th Vuelta a España but the weather wasn't interested in playing
02:42 its part in a smooth evening out.
02:49 We're about to get Cara Rau underway, the first team in this team time trial in La Vuelta
02:55 and La Vuelta 2023 is underway.
02:58 Rain in Spain greeting the team time trial, despite being 9km shorter than last year,
03:03 the 22 wet and winding corners became an even greater challenge.
03:08 Caja Rural first out but the second team was the one to clock the time to beat.
03:14 DSM finishing in 70 minutes 30 seconds led by recently crowned under 23 world time trial
03:20 champion Lorenzo Melessi.
03:22 The gauntlet thrown down to those attacking the 14.8km course, that led to added risks.
03:30 Not a great way for Arkea Samsic to show off their new neon yellow jersey instead of their
03:50 usual red to avoid a clash with the Mayo Rojo.
03:55 Finishing midway on the start list, Bahrain Victorious produced a very quick second half
04:00 of the course and it paid off, provisionally second.
04:04 Damiano Caruso previously second at the 2021 Giro and Mika Landa safely home.
04:19 DSM still in pole, EF Education Easy Post also pushed the boat out, fast enough to pass
04:25 Bahrain and failing to dislodge the top dogs, despite their best efforts, 6 seconds in arrears.
04:34 The big GC contenders then took to the road but Ineos hopes quickly slipped away, Laurence
04:40 Duploose crashing, the British team losing precious time.
04:47 The rest of the favourites on the starting blocks, Jumbo Visma, UAE Team Emirates and
04:51 Soudal Quick-Step, their reigning champion with the eye of the tiger.
04:58 If the rain wasn't tough enough, nightfall added further caution.
05:05 Jumbo Visma already losing time, UAE not setting the world alight either.
05:10 Local favourites Movistar though were flying by the intermediate time check, but could
05:14 they bring it home?
05:35 The
05:54 anxious wait for confirmation, but it would be tears of frustration to add to the rainfall,
05:59 DSM nervously excited.
06:02 Already pre-race favourites tag and winning the last three opening stages of La Vuelta,
06:07 Jumbo Visma endured a tough day, 30 seconds squandered.
06:11 Worse for Juan Ayuso as UAE couldn't keep up, 40 seconds lost.
06:17 Yet could Soudal Quick-Step yet break DSM hearts?
06:22 Soudal Quick-Step in towards the conclusion of this time trial.
06:26 They go through this water with Remco Evenepoel not taking any massive risks on the front.
06:32 He goes through the left hander and the unthinkable, the dream is going to be a reality for the
06:39 team of DSM Firminac because any moment now, this time is going to go by.
06:44 The defending champion brings the troops through, but they're going to be outside the time.
06:49 The winners of this team time trial are going to be DSM Firminac as Soudal Quick-Step finish
06:55 fourth fastest on the day.
06:58 DSM victorious as they celebrated winning the opening stage of this year's Vuelta.
07:04 Certainly there was some surprise mixed in with the delight.
07:07 Omen Badi in a good position but it was his young Italian teammate who took the limelight,
07:12 our first leader in red.
07:14 Actually we took some risks but we had a good plan, a good power plan with the team and
07:28 we stick that, we stick the plan and I think it worked really well so I'm very happy.
07:35 Melesse the honour of leading through his DSM team.
07:39 Movistar close but not close enough, the five riders left in the Spanish team unable to
07:44 stick together at the line less than one second back.
07:48 The jerseys shared amongst the DSM team who will now face the challenge of defending them
07:52 when stage two gets underway tomorrow.
07:55 What a difference a year makes as DSM beat out the best to leave Melesse in Maio-Lobo.
08:00 Next up stage two from Mataró before return to Barcelona, the riders will hope for kinder
08:06 conditions.
08:07 (eerie music)