La Vuelta 2019: Salinas de Torrevieja > Torrevieja 24/08/2019 - 13,4 km TTT *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
edited August 2019 in Pro race
Salinas de Torrevieja > Torrevieja 24/08/2019 - Stage 1 - 13,4 km - Team Time-Trial

The Vuelta a España opens with a team time trial of 13.4 kilometres. The start ramp is located in Las Salinas de Torrevieja, a Natural Park with pink-hued water lagoons, while the finish is in nearby Torrevieja.

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The Spanish Grand Tour kicks off with a team time trial around the saltmarshes of Torrevieja. So it is back to the familiar routine after 2018’s start with an individual time trial in Málaga. The route of the Torrevieja stage is predominantly even, although some sections are false flat. Anyhow, a great profile!

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And a bonkers video preview from La Vuelta:

https://youtu.be/iReRsjm3-cE

Two years ago BMC won La Vuelta’s TTT ahead of Quick-Step and Sunweb, while the 2016 edition started in style with Movistar and Sky finishing in exactly the same time. The grand tour eventually was won by Nairo Quintana (Movistar) after a compelling battle with Chris Froome (Sky).
In 2015, the TTT on day one was hors concours (BMC win) and Movistar powered to victory in the 2014 TTT.

Favourites 1st stage 2019 Vuelta a España

Arguably, Jumbo-Visma is the team to beat, as their 2019 credentials are impressive. With a dominant performance on the team time trial of the Tour de France, the Dutch squad took victory 20 seconds ahead of Team Ineos and 21 up on Deceuninck-QuickStep. And in February they won the UAE Tour chrono race for teams ahead of Team Sunweb and Bahrain-Merida. The route of that last test was similar to the opener of the Vuelta.

*** Jumbo-Visma
** Deceuninck-QuickStep, EF Education First
* Team Sunweb, Movistar, Team Ineos, Mitchelton-Scott

Starting times (CET) Vuelta TTT
18.56 – Dimension Data
19.00 – AG2R La Mondiale
19.04 – Euskadi – Murias
19.08 – CCC Team
19.12 – Burgos – BH
19.16 – EF Education First
19.20 – Groupama – FDJ
19.24 – Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
19.28 – Katusha-Alpecin
19.32 – Team Ineos
19.36 – Cofidis
19.40 – Mitchelton – Scott
19.44 – Bahrain Merida
19.48 – Team Sunweb
19.52 – Trek – Segafredo
19.56 – Astana
20.00 – Lotto Soudal
20.04 – UAE Emirates
20.08 – BORA – hansgrohe
20.12 – Jumbo – Visma
20.16 – Deceuninck – Quick-Step
20.20 – Movistar

Salinas de Torrevieja

The Salinas de Torrevieja saltings will be going all out as they host the official start of the Vuelta for the first time. The timing of the event means that the Salinas will be resplendent in the characteristic pink colour that the waters take on from July to September. This idyllic backdrop has never before been used for the start of the event, though it has passed through Torrevieja before on a stage to Cumbre del Sol in Poble Nou de Benitatxell in 2015.

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Torrevieja

Torrevieja, in Alicante province, has never been the finish line for a stage of La Vuelta, but the municipality hosted the start of stage 9 in 2015. That was the day when the young Dutchman Tom Dumoulin first made the headlines, winning the stage at the age of 24. It was his first stage win in a major event, and he came close to winning the overall title. Two years later he won the Giro d’Italia, thus confirming the potential that he first showed, along with other riders, in the Vuelta on that day in Torrevieja.

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Torrevieja Restaurants.

El Meson

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Galiano

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