Rodríguez last off in Vuelta a España stage 11 time trial

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Joost Van Leijen (Lotto Belisol) will be the first rider to leave the start house for the stage 11 time trial from Cambados to Pontevedra at this year's Vuelta a España. The 39.4km TT is the first individual test in the race but the route suggests that riders like current leader Joaquim Rodríguez (Katusha) won’t lose as much time to the specialists as would be expected.

The riders must tackle the Cat 3 climb before negotiating the technical descent. The climb to Alto Monte Castrove begins after just 13.5km and ascends approximately 450m over the 10km. It’s then a twisty and difficult descent, one small rise and a relatively flat run to the finish line in Pontevedra.

“For me, it will be hard chrono", said Rodríguez "But the course is not bad and has little flat. If I lost one minute, that would be great because it would mean that I could almost keep my leader’s jersey. I think I will just off keeping it, but the goal is to lose as little time as possible,” Rodríguez told Dhnet.be.