Alejandro Valverde repeats 2013 performance at opening prologue in the Vuelta a AndalucÃa beating Wiggins by 14 seconds
![]() |
The 60th Vuelta a AndalucÃa started off with a bang for the Endura clad Movistar rider as Alejandro Valverde who will wear the leader’s jersey on Thursday, following a convincing win in the 7.3km opening prologue in the outskirts of AlmerÃa. Valverde crossed the finish with a seven-second margin over Dutchman Tom Dumoulin (GIA), who had beaten Movistar’s Izagirre.
Movistar 1-3 beats Team Sky’s 3-4-5
The Spaniard team Movistar showed good form at start of the day thanks to good performances from Javi Moreno (8th) taking the hotseat before his teammate Ion Izagirre, was able to beat the Sky trio of Vasil Kiryienka, Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas by four seconds.
Alejandro Valverde: “I’m the first one who’s surprised about this result, not only because of the win but also due to the time gaps against such rivals, in such a short TT.”
“It’s true that I had already won last year in front of strong guys, but the field competing here, especially in terms of time trial performance, was really hard to beat. I knew I was doing well with my form, but I didn’t know how good.”
“Profiting from our training camp in AlmerÃa, we came here on Monday to try the course. We reconnoited it twice and I rode through it this morning with closed roads. I quite liked it because it had some pace changes. It was the first time on my new TT bike and this debut was impossible to improve.”
“We’re very satisfied with how it works – we did ride on them for several days in the Circuit of AlmerÃa, that was crucial because it was our first time on them and we had to accustom ourselves to the measures, the geometry… I’m back in the lead here, but there’s a really hard race ahead of us.”
“We’ll go day by day, trying to keep the team together and doing well. The rivals will have to better us and we’ll make it hard for them. I didn’t prepare myself really hard to perform well this early in the season, but as I always say, it’s easy for me to get into racing form, and the previous months, apart from some days with high fever after Dubai, didn’t mean any troubles for me.â€
It is a difficult test tomorrow with a demanding stage – 178km — from Vélez Málaga to Jaén- with a total six categorized climbs and an exhausting finale through LocubÃn (Cat-2), Valdepeñas (Cat-2) and up to the finish at the Castillo de Santa Catalina (Cat-3.)
RESULT
1 VALVERDE BELMONTE Alejandro Movistar Team 08:22
2 DUMOULIN Tom Team Giant-Shimano 00:07
3 IZAGIRRE Ion Movistar Team 00:09
4 KIRYIENKA Vasil Team Sky 00:13
5 THOMAS Geraint Team Sky 00:14
6 WIGGINS Bradley Team Sky
7 PORTE Richie Team Sky 00:15
8 MORENO Javier Movistar Team
9 GESCHKE Simon Team Giant-Shimano 00:16
10 ZUBELDIA AGIRRE Haimar Trek Factory Racing
13 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald Team Sky 00:19
14 KITTEL Marcel Team Giant-Shimano 00:20
21 KENNAUGH Peter Team Sky 00:24
31 HENDERSON Greg Lotto Belisol 00:29
60 CIOLEK Gerald MTN – Qhubeka 37
79 VOIGT Jens Trek Factory Racing 00:44
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- Features, Reports, Results
- Result: Richard Moore Youth Race Series 1
- Result: CCA Summer in the City Crits #1
- Result: Scottish Student Cycling Criterium Championship
- Result: Thruxton Circuit Races 3
- STARTLIST: Sloan Trophy (April 27)
- Result: Full Gas Summer Circuit Series 1
- Result: Matlock CC Darley Moor Circuit Series #1
- Result: RL360 IoM Youth League 3
- News: Teams Revealed for the Women’s Tour of Britain
- TT Result: Fife Midweek 2
- Result: Kirtlington Kermesses
- Result: Portsmouth North End CC Mountbatten Series 1
- TT Result: Manchester Bicycle Club Easter Monday 10
- TT Result: Brighton Mitre CC 27.3
- TT Result: Cleveland Wheelers CC 25
- TT Result: National VTTA 10 Mile Championship
- HC Result: Kildale Hill Climb
- Result: Tameside Cycling Development Circuit Races 2
- Provisional Startlist: CiCLE Classic International
- Youth Result: Spring in the Park #2 TT
- Sunday: CiCLE Classic UCI Road Race
- TT Result: Newbury Road Club 25m TT
- Result: Full Gas Spring Cup Series 1
- Result: Abingdon Airfield Circuit Races
- Result: North Wales Circuit Series 1
- Results: Castle Combe Easter Classic
- Result: NCRA Spring Handicap RR 5
- TT Result: Easter Charity 10
- TT Result: North Lancashire Road Club 10
- TT Result: Velo Club Long Eaton 10
- TT Result: Kings Lynn CC 10
- Time Trial Result & Report — Plymouth Corinthian CC 10
- Result: Portsmouth North End Nat B
- TT Result: Buxton Mountain Time Trial
- TT Result: City RC (Hull) 10
- TT Result: Great Yarmouth CC 10m TT
- TT Result: Good Friday 10m TT
- Result: Ennerdale 2025 Season openers Rd 3
- Result: Thruxton Circuit Races 2
- Result: East London Velo Spring Crits 2
Other News on VeloUK
- STARTLIST: Sloan Trophy (April 27)
- News: Teams Revealed for the Women’s Tour of Britain
- Provisional Startlist: CiCLE Classic International
- Sunday: CiCLE Classic UCI Road Race
- News: Women’s Tour of Britain Stage Hosts
- PERTH GRAND PRIX (SCOTLAND)
- April 19: PNE National B Road Race
- STARTLIST: East Cleveland Classic
- Startlists: Witham Hall Junior Two Day (Men & Women)
- Startlist: Totnes-Vire Two Day
- STARTLISTS: Cold Dark Capenwray Road Races
- News: CiCLE Classic – Volunteers Wanted
- Startlist: Danum Trophy 2025
- This weekend: National Under 23 Road Series Rd 1
- Road Championships Heading to Wales
- Glasgow Track League Final Standings
- SUNDAY: Dulwich Paragon Wally Gimber Trophy
- NEW: Wentworth Woodhouse Grand Prix, Rotherham
- Club News: Halesowen Academy 10th Anniversary Teams
- Club News: Edinburgh Road Club Youth Squad 2025
- BIG NEWS! TOUR DE FRANCE GRAND DEPART IN SCOTLAND
- News: Pedal Club Lunch (March)
- News: Merlin Cycles Rivington Brewing Co. Racing Team
- Startlist & Press Release: CiCLE Classic 2025
- West Lothian Grand Prix, biggest ever prize pot
- Pro Gravel Team: Ribble Outliers
- STARTLIST: PEAKS TWO DAY STAGE RACE
- Start Lists: 17th Gifford Road Races (Scotland)
- Entries: Evesham Vale Road Race 2025
- Events: Tuesday Night Youth Race Series (West Lothian Cycle Circuit)
- TLI Cycling Report: Rhyl CC Races
- BMCR’s TOUR OF THE ABBERLEYS
- Coming Soon: Peaks Two Day (YBC)
- News: Prestigious Award for Cat Ferguson
- Startlist: 41st Jock Wadley Memorial
- Quiz Time: Leon Atkins (Fensham Howes MAS Design)
- Quiz Time! Seth Jackson
- Startlist: Royal Navy Cup Race
- Day 3 Report: British Track Championships
- SUNDAY: Clayton Spring Classic Handicap