Vuelta a España stage 1: Team dsm-firmenich take shock win and leader's jersey

Team dsm-firmenich pulled off a huge shock on stage 1 of the Vuelta a España to win the team time trial and claim the first leader's jersey of the 2023 race.

In driving rain and fading light the Dutch team finished less than a second ahead of Movistar Team over the 14.8km course in Barcelona. In terrible conditions the race was overshadowed by a series of crashes, with a number of pre-race favourites seeing their teammates hit the deck.

Team dsm-firmenich were among the early starters, and the eight-rider team certainly made use of the better light as they powered through the 9.6km checkpoint with the fastest times.

However most onlookers expected the likes of Jumbo-Visma, UAE Team Emirates, Ineos Grenadiers and Soudal QuickStep to mount strong challenges and decide the outcome of the stage. However, it was a surprise finale with the home-based Movistar Team nudging Team dsm-firmenich off top-spot at the intermediate check before eventually fading just at the line as Team dsm-firmenich's time of 17:30 held up by the slimmest of margins.

Even the defending Vuelta a España champion, Remco Evenepoel, and his Soudal QuickStep team were forced to settle for one of the minor placings with the Belgian team racing cautiously in almost complete darkness to finish fourth. In the end it was another surprise package, EF-Education EasyPost, who sealed the final spot on the podium, six seconds off the winning time.

For Team dsm-firmenich it was huge victory, and their second WorldTour win of the day after Sam Welsford won a sprint stage at the Renewi Tour, but the biggest smile was reserved for Lorenzo Milesi, with the 21-year-old Italian leading the Dutch team over the line in Barcelona to become the first leader of the 2023 Vuelta a España.

"It’s an amazing feeling. This win with all the team was so fun and so nice, it was really emotional," the Italian said.

"Also watching the whole race and the other teams ride their efforts; that was definitely a harder watch than in Glasgow. We took some risks out there but had a good pacing plan with the team and stuck to that. I think that worked really well for us. I’m just super happy to be a part of this win and of course to be in the red jersey will be special too."

As for the main GC challengers, it was Enric Mas and Movistar who put time into all their rivals. Geraint Thomas and his Ineos Grenadiers team lost Laurens de Plus in a crash and Filippo Ganna due to a puncture. The British team rallied to finish eighth at 20 seconds, while the Jumbo-Visma pairing of Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič finished a further twelve seconds down.

Racing in the dark

© Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images

Soudal Quick-Step had to battle the worst conditions on stage 1 of the Vuelta a España

The conditions in Barcelona on stage 1 of the Vuelta a España were always going to be a feature of the race. With thunderstorms threatening and the light always going to be factor the later starting GC teams were going to face a tough choice - race for the stage win or ride with safety in mind.

In reality the time gaps opened up on the 14.8km course were always going to be limited given both the nature of the technical course and the weather, and it was little surprise to see every team roll down the wet start ramp at almost walking pace. At several points in the evening race officials were forced to try and brush away standing water and it wasn't long before riders began to lose their grip.

Arkea Samsic saw two riders hit the deck early on, while almost the entire Jayco team came down on one particular corner. Eddie Dunbar crashed again for the Australian team as the already fading light became more of an issue than the rain.

With team car headlights on full beam, and riders unable to see potholes on the course, Laurens ten Dam came crashing to give Ineos Grenadiers a huge scare. Several teams were reduced to the minimum of five riders during the second half of the course but despite all the twists and turns Team dsm-firmenich remained a constant presence on the hot-seat as their riders nervously checked their phones for updates from the road.

Jumbo-Visma were forced to ease their pace and wait for several riders at one point, and UAE Team Emirates also their struggles as teams realised that staying upright was a victory in itself.

At the finish Evenepoel gave a colourful assessment of the conditions and the risks but he, like many of the GC riders will see today as mission accomplished.

And as for Team dsm-firmenich, they have a bright red jersey in their ranks to light the way.

© Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images

Lorenzo Milesi (Team dsm - firmenich) in the leader's jersey at the Vuelta a España

Dan Lloyd's race Analysis

All hail Remco Evenepoel. In his post race interview, Remco Evenepoel spoke clearly, eloquently and thoughtfully on why he was angry about the conditions in which they were forced to race the TTT. Within that interview, he also talked about the criticism he expected to receive for speaking his mind.

I haven’t looked too hard, but I can’t imagine he received much in the way of negativity for what he said, because he was right.

I don’t want to dwell on the TTT conditions, but rather salute Evenepoel. As his career has progressed, he hasn’t shone away from saying what he thinks for want of an easier life. That would have been the easy option, particularly as a Belgian, with all the extra scrutiny of every word that that brings. His interviews always offer insight and honesty, despite how many he must have to do, and he rarely gives the generic one-liners that we so often hear from professional sports people.

To say it’s refreshing is an understatement - long may it continue.

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