Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana: Boasson Hagen wins opening time trial

Edvald Boasson Hagen (Dimension Data) took victory in the opening stage of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana. The Norwegian national time trial champion beat Ion Izagirre (Astana) by five seconds and Tony Martin (Jumbo-Visma) by six seconds across the 10.2km individual time trial to take the race lead into stage 2.

In the 19C sunshine, the riders took to the 9.7km of flat course before a sharp and savage incline in the final few hundred metres that threatened to win and lose riders the stage.

Jos van Emden (Jumbo-Visma) took the early lead with a time of 13:05 and proved the steep 600m climb towards the finish was not a tough enough obstacle to stop the time trial specialists from filling the top positions on the leader board.

Boasson Hagen was the first, and as it turned out the only rider to go under the 13-minute mark, with a time of 12:56, and he held that lead comfortably until the final riders were out on the course.

Tony Martin went close to Boasson Hagen's time, but the former world time trial champion only came within six seconds of the stage winner, which was only good enough for third. Izagirre was the best-placed finisher of the general classification hopefuls, in second place, but he still couldn't match the Norwegian, who was pleased with his performance.

"I didn't really know where I was coming in, but I've been riding well this winter, so I was hoping for a good ride," Boasson Hagen said.

"To start the season like this, it's really nice. I didn't expect it, and I was getting nervous when the riders were getting close, but I'm really happy now.

"I was looking at [Alejandro] Valverde and Geraint [Thomas], but when I saw the timing, it was really good.

"We have to take it day-by-day and see how it goes. There are some hilly stages as well, but I am willing to fight."

Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas (Sky) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) were the final riders down the ramp, but neither could seriously threaten the top five places as Valverde finished eighth, 14 seconds off the pace, and Thomas did not make the top 10.

Stage 2 is a 166km race in Alicante that includes a couple of second-category climbs and a third-category climb that is 42 kilometres out before a fast run down to the finish line. If all goes to plan, it is a day where Boasson Hagen could retain his lead in the general classification.

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