After an opening road stage in 2008 and a very hilly time trial of more than double the usual prologue distance last year in Monaco, the 97th Tour de France starts with a more traditional prologue TT both in terms of length and profile.
With fewer than a dozen bends, most quite sweeping, and no climbing, this is for time trial specialists. The only significant difficulty will be the wind that sweeps across the Erasmus Bridge. Otherwise, there are plenty of straights that might result in Chris Boardman’s 55.152km/h average from the 1994 prologue being bettered.
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Vuelta a España stage 2 LIVE: GC action expected on the first summit finish of the race
The peloton heads into the Alps on the second stage of the race for a summit finish at Limone Piemonte -
'GC a key step but winning would be the biggest success' - Tom Pidcock makes stage victories in Vuelta a España main priority
Briton takes ninth in opening sprint, aiming for summit finish on Sunday -
'I'll give it a shot' - Trailblazing Monegasque rider Victor Langellotti ready to challenge for Vuelta a España first summit finish on stage 2
The Ineos Grenadiers rider was a recent surprise winner on a similar finale in the Tour de Pologne -
'I've got a set of boxers, a set of socks, so it's no stress' - Finlay Pickering unfazed by last-minute plunge into Grand Tour debut at Vuelta a España
22-year-old Briton super-late substitute for injured Bahrain Victorious teammate Damiano Caruso
