Rohan Dennis won the opening stage of the Vuelta a Espana to become the first non-European to claim individual time trial victories at all three Grand Tours.

The Australian, who last year helped BMC Racing win the opening team time trial, finished six seconds clear of Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski on the eight-kilometre route in Malaga to take the red jersey.

Neither 2017 champion Chris Froome nor Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas are involved in this race having been left at home for the Tour of Britain, but Sky still had three of the top six riders.

With Froome and Thomas not participating, this appears one of the most open Grand Tours for some time, yet Vincenzo Nibali and Richie Porte were unable to provide any encouraging signs for their general classification chances on the first day.

That Nibali is even involved is a surprise given the 2010 Vuelta winner fractured vertebrae at the Tour de France and he finished 40 seconds behind Dennis.

Dennis' BMC colleague Porte also struggled, and he complained he was feeling "absolutely awful" after clocking a time that left him 101st in a 176-strong field.

 

DEFENDING CHAMPION FROOME WATCHES ON

Sky's Froome will not be defending the title he won in 2017, having been confirmed for the Tour of Britain next month.

Yet the four-time Tour de France winner said on Twitter he was still a keen observer of events in Malaga.

However, if his choice of emojis was anything to go by, he was not sticking to the diet he would normally have when racing at the Vuelta.

Froome tweeted, "Feels strange not to be starting the @lavuelta today, one of my favourite races on the calendar. Making the most of it..." along with beer and pizza emojis.

 

STAGE 1 RESULT

1. Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) 09:39
2. Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) +0:06
3. Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal) +0:07
4. Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) +0:17
5. Dylan van Baarle (Team Sky) +0:20

CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS

Points Classification 

1. Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) 25
2. Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) 20
3. Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Soudal) 16
4. Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) 14
5. Dylan van Baarle (Team Sky) 12

UP NEXT… 

A 163.5km flat stage from Marbella to Caminito del Rey features a high-altitude finish that should see a climber come through to win, while the GC candidates will also get a chance to make a mark before the steeper sections.