Max Schachmann of Soudal-Quick Step narrowly won the opening 16.5km individual time trial of the Tour of the Basque Country on Monday, held around Vitoria-Gastiez.
He completed the course in 18 minutes and 37 seconds.
Joao Almeida of Team UAE finished just a fraction of a second behind Schachmann, securing second place. Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull placed third, one second behind the leader, highlighting the close competition.
Almeida expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “This was only a short effort, but it’s a good indicator of how things might go. I’d be happy to keep at least second place until the end of the week.”
The race now moves to a flat 200km stage from Pamplona to Lodosa on Tuesday, followed by four stages featuring hilly and mountainous terrain.
Last year’s podium featured Spaniard Juan Ayuso as the winner, with compatriots Carlos Rodriguez and Denmark’s Mattias Skjelmose finishing second and third, respectively.
This year’s race is notable for the absence of several top-tier riders. The 2024 edition saw a significant crash involving Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel.
Key contenders to watch in this year’s race include former Vuelta winner Sepp Kuss of Visma, along with Mattias Skjelmose, Santiago Buitrago, and Enric Mas.
