Vuelta a Espana stage 1 - Live coverage

Hello cycling fans! Welcome to Cyclingnews' live coverage of the opening stage of Vuelta a España. In it's 77th edition, the 2022 grand tour starts in the Dutch city of Utrecht for a 23.3 km team time trial. 

There are 22 teams participating in the evening time trial, with Burgos-BH leading them off at 6:30 p.m. local time. 

The unique team time trial stage opener is predicted to create substantial gaps between favourites after the first stage is complete. Here's a look at our detailed stage preview by Alasdair Fotheringham. 

And we're off! The first team, Burgos BH, has gone down the start ramp to kick the Vuelta into motion. There will be four minute intervals in between team starts.

The Vuelta certainly likes their team time trials, because we can expect another one to kick off proceedings for the 2023 edition as well. However, next year the stage will take place in Barcelona. 

Three teams are out on course so far, after leaving the fireworks at the starting house behind. Israel - Premier Tech just set off, led by Chris Froome. Next up is Groupama - FDJ.

This is a pan flat course around the city of Utrecht. It's a similar course to the TTT in 2019 that was held around the saltmarshes of Torrevieja. That year, the stage was won by Astana and Miguel Angel López took the red jersey. 

Burgos-BH, the first team off, has gone through the intermediate checkpoint at 11km with a time of 12:58. They have all their riders still together. 

Arkea will start their Vuelta with one rider down. Nairo Quintana has decided to not take the start after testing positive for tramadol, even though according to UCI rules, he is allowed to compete in the Spanish grand tour. Here's the story. 

And Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux quickly bests the time of Burgos at the intermediate check, traveling 11 seconds faster. Cofidis is on the start line. 

The Groupama-FDJ team are the current leaders through the intermediate check. The team is flying, going almost 15 seconds faster than Israel - Premier Tech. They're averaging 53.1kph at the moment. 

Team Burgos -BH was the first team to come across the line with a time of 26:38, however, they were quickly bested by Intermarche by a tough 32.74 seconds. 

Israel - Premier Tech finishes their 23.3km effort with the best time so far of 25:44. That's 21.5 seconds faster than Intermarche - Wanty- Gobert. 

The riders are experience raindrops in some places on the course, and in other parts the roads remain dry. Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux sit in provisional third - but we still have more than half of the teams to start. 

Arkea have finished their ride 46 seconds back on Groupama, who are our current leaders. The French team have set the time to beat at 25:18.

BikeExchange - Jayco are doing a good ride at the moment. They're the fastest at the intermediate check with a 12:21. EF Education EasyPost are currently second, a good 19 seconds off the Aussie squad's pace. 

Current TTT top 3:

1. Groupama FDJ - 25:18

2. Israel Premier Tech + 0:25

3. EF Education First + 0:41

Team BikeExchange - Jayco finish seven seconds faster than Groupama - FDJ with Simon Yates as their GC rider safely across. The team averaged a smooth 55.5kph on the 23.3km course.  

Now Bora - hansgrohe are out on course. Seven teams left to take the start, with Jumbo Visma setting out last. 

BikeExchange should be pleased with their ride. They've set up 2018 Vuelta a España winner Simon Yates quite well and remain in the hot seat with a 25:11. 

Bora-hansgrohe are up on BikeExchange's intermediate time by two seconds. That's good news for their GC guy, Jai Hindley. 

Just four teams left to take the start: Ineos, Quick-Step, Movistar and Jumbo Visma. 

Ineos has started their TTT with Giro winner Richard Carapaz leading the team this year at the Vuelta. The Ecuadorian has just cemented a 3-year deal with American outfit, EF Education EasyPost. 

Bora comes across the finish line with five riders. It was super close, at the intermediate, but BikeExchange holds onto their lead by 10 seconds. 

Movistar is off, but has already lost Gregor Mühlberger in the opening few kms. 

Jumbo Visma is off with the pressure of having defending Vuelta champion Primož Roglič with them. All teams have started. 

Ineos has completed a speedy first half of the race, heading through the intermediate with the new fastest time of 12:14. That's 4.6 seconds better than Bora. Can they hold it through the finish? 

The Utrecht crowds have grown since the start of the TTT. The atmosphere is incredible this evening as they welcome the remaining teams. 

Quick-Step does one better than Ineos across the intermediate split, going three seconds faster. 

The way Jumbo Visma are going, they should be around 20 seconds faster than Quick-Step. 

The Dutch team is being carried by a wave of sound from the hometown fans. They're 14 seconds faster than Quick-Step at the check point. 

Ineos finishes a whopping 18 seconds faster than BikeExchange. They're the new team at the top of the standings, but Jumbo Visma are still flying. 

Remco Evenepoel does a massive pull and brings Quick-Step to the finish line just .8 seconds behind Ineos. 

Ineos are in the hot seat. They're also the first team to go under 25 minutes with a 24:53. 

Movistar crosses the line with five riders, 30 seconds off the pace of Ineos. 

Jumbo Visma is at the line. No surprises here! They win the race 13 seconds ahead of Ineos.

Robert Gesink crossed the finish line first ahead of defending champion, Primoz Roglic, and so will be the first leader of the Vuelta a Espana in his home country of the Netherlands! 

Jumbo Visma are off to a dominant start on this year's edition of the Vuelta a España. 

Here's our race recap of the entire opening stage by Daniel Ostanek.

Robert Gesink - leader of the Vuelta a España after stage 1 TTT:

"I can't really believe it. I'm really grateful to the boys. They were crazy strong, and I'm very grateful to be in red. It's definitely one of the highlights of my career."

"We heard some intermediate times, and they were fast, but we still had to make it to the end, and anything can happen in a team time trial. But I knew this team had the possibility to win for sure because there were so many strong guys in the group."

"Obviously, usually my job is to help the team and to help Primoz (Roglic). I think this was a really nice way for them to say thank you for the work of the last years. Riding in the red jersey in the Netherlands tomorrow will be a dream come true."

The Jumbo Visma squad are once again proving themselves as the team to beat, winning the stage 1 TTT! Tomorrow's stage of the Vuelta will be one for the sprinters. It's a flat one, with one category 4 climb at KM 70. The 175.1km stage will start at 'S-Hertogenbosch and finish at Utrecht's Science Park.