Sevilla's team claims victory in team time trial

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Spanish rider and race favourite Óscar Sevilla and his Indeportes Antioquia squad dominated the standings during the opening stage team trial in the 60th Vuelta a Colombia.

The 20km route took riders over wet, curvy roads from the town of La Ceja to Rio Negro, about 40km outside the Antioquian capital of Medellín. Sevilla's teammate, Sergio Luis Henao, crossed the line first and will don the red, blue and yellow leader's jersey during tomorrow's stage.

The Indeportes Antioquia squad rolled through the stage at a blistering pace, finishing the route a whole 29 seconds faster then the second place Colombia Es Pasíon squad, which features 2008 U23 road champ Fabio Duarte and former US Postal and Rock Racing rider Victor Hugo Peña.

The GW Shimano team finished third, while the outfit of reigning Vuelta winner Jose Rujano, Loteria De Boyaca, finished 90 seconds behind Indeportes Antioquia in eighth place.

"The advantage for us is that we're a team that all has the same level, only Óscar Sevilla is a bit better," said former world time trial champion and current Indeportes Antioquia technical manager, Santiago Botero. "For this stage it is very important to train together, this is the key to winning."

For stage winner, Henao, the win was especially sweet because it ended in his hometown of Rio Negro and he was greeted with a hero's welcome when he took the podium to accept the tricolour leader's jersey.

"I'm happy because I'm the winner and that I have all the support I have here in Antioquia," said Heano, adding that it was great to be surrounded by his family and friends.

Barring any accidents, Henao might be able to hold onto the leader's jersey for several days; while not as pancake flat as the team time trial, the next few stages will be for the sprinters. Stage two has the peloton gradually descending over 1900m from Rio Negro to the steamy Puerto Boyaca in Colombia's Boyaca Department.

With the contenders' teams doing their best to protect their leaders, the sprinters will have to have a chance to gun for glory in a discipline that is rarely practised in mountainous Colombia.

Stage two "is one for those who excel at the discipline and we must seize the opportunity," Colombia's premier sprinter, Juan Pablo Forero, told the Colombian Cycling Federation.

For teams with general classification riders, such as Sevilla, Rujano or EPM-UNE's Mauricio Ortega, the second stage will need to be raced carefully as to not give up or lose any time on fellow GC rivals.

Racing for the overall favourites really doesn't start until Thursday's stage five from Bucaramanga to Socorro. This stage features the first category one climb of the 2010 Vuelta a Colombia, the Alto Chiflas.

However, for tomorrow riders and managers will keep a sharp lookout for any problems that could put an end to their GC contenders' hopes.

"We must take control. The race is still very much open," said Botero, adding that the key to stage two is to protect Sevilla and maintain a comfortable lead.

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