• Vuelta a Espana, Prologue

Froome & Contador make steady Vuelta start

ESPN staff
August 18, 2012
Chris Froome and Team Sky started steadily - nothing more © PA Photos
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Team Sky returned to road cycling action by setting the fifth fastest time in the opening stage of the Vuelta a Espana.

With just 16.5 kilometres around Pamplona to be covered by all the teams on Saturday, Sky - led by Olympic bronze medallist Chris Froome - set a time of 19 minutes three seconds to sit 12 seconds behind the early leaders, local team Movistar.

In the individual standings, Movistar's Jonathan Castroviejo claimed the red jersey after leading his side home fastest of all, after they were the final squad to take to the course.

Froome and Team Sky looked to be on course to claim the early lead - picking up where they left off at the Tour de France - when they posted the fastest time at the intermediate split, but they were unable to keep that up as they fell away over the second part of the course.

Three teams - Rabobank, Omega and BMC - were ten seconds behind Movistar's pace, with Lotto matching Sky's eventual time. Alberto Contador's team, Saxobank, opened their campaign with a time of 19 mins five secs to sit seventh initially.

Team standings, stage one
1. Movistar Team - 18:51
2. Rabobank - at 00:10
3. Omega Pharma-QuickStep at 00:10
4. BMC Racing Team - at 00:10
5. Team Sky - at 00:12
6. Lotto Belisol Team - at 00:12
7. Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank - at 00:14
8. Katusha Team - at 00:15
9. Euskaltel-Euskadi - at 00:28
10. Orica-GreenEdge - at 00:33

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