Vuelta a España: Stage 1 preview

Pamplona – Pamplona

Distance: 16.2km
Highest point: 460m
Category: Team time trial

Short but technical
At just 16km, the organisers hope this won’t produce big gaps between the best teams. Starting in the Plaza del Castillo, the course does a circuit of Pamplona before finishing in the city’s bullring. Indeed, the final sections follow the route of bull running that takes place here in July. These final few kilometres through Pamplona’s central streets provide a very technical conclusion to this test. It’s here that the most tightly-drilled teams should be able to make their togetherness count but there should be little more than a minute between the winners and the team bringing up the rear.

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Abraham Olano: "I don’t think the time gaps will be significant but it’s a spectacular way to start the race. The first half of the course is quick but the second half is much more technical on the narrow roads made famous by the San Fermín festival."