The Jumbo flew alongside the Utrecht canals in the group time trial that raised the curtain on the Vuelta 2022. The Dutchman

Robert Gesink

,

Primoz Roglic

's domestique , is the first leader.

In a 23.3 kilometer tour through the wide avenues of the city of the Netherlands, the members of the Dutch squad fulfilled the forecasts that indicated them as favorites and set a record of 24:40.

Thanks to excellent coordination in the relays, they surpassed Ineos led by

Carlos Rodríguez

and

Richard Carapaz

by 13 seconds , and QuickStep led by

Remco Evenepoel

by 14 seconds .

Movistar, who wore a white jersey for the first time in tribute to

Alejandro Valverde

's farewell , was tenth, 43 seconds behind the winner.

A result that did not displease

Eusebio Unzué

, who these days does not tire of guessing to get points that avoid demotion in the World Tour category, and who shortly before starting said that he hoped his team would make a worthy time trial , without wasting much time with the first one.

The UAE of

Joao Almeida

and

Juan Ayuso

lost 33 seconds.

Juanpe López

's Trek Segrafredo lost

42 seconds.

On the same margin was the Australian

Jai Hindley

's Bora , winner of the last Giro d'Italia.

After two years of absence, the Vuelta started again with a team time trial, a modality with little presence in the Tour and the Giro.

In 2019 Astana won and

Miguel Ángel López

assumed the leadership.

In 2023 it will also start in the same way in Barcelona.

The edges of the streets of Utrecht were full of fans, something that is not surprising because in that town cycling is lived with passion.

The Dutch city also hosted the start of the 2015 Tour de France and was the end of the second stage of the 2010 Giro. The bicycle as a means of transport and the main leisure option.

One of the runners who captured the most public attention this Friday was the Dutchman Robert Gesink.

The 36-year-old climber has donned the first leader's red jersey, an award for the rider from the Netherlands, who in 2016 won a stage of the Vuelta and who this year was third in his country's time trial championship .

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more