Movistar monsters Vuelta opener

The team which includes defending champion Juan Jose Cobo finished the 16.5km stage held in Pamplona in a time of 18 minutes and 51 seconds.

The leaders red jersey was given to Castroviejo as the first rider to cross the finish for Movistar.

"Initially, I not think I was coming to the Vuelta a Espana and that's why I came here with the motivation to help the team and give an extra in this (time) trial. I'm thrilled," said Castroviejo.

"It is a very important stage and to win at home was a goal for us. We had prepared very well for this time trial, knew the course, and from the start to the end everything went well.

"We did not have a preset tactic but we discussed who had to cross the finish line first.

"This win is for everyone who has helped me get here and the Movistar Team for the support given to me during this year."

Defending champion Cobo said he was pleased with the outcome after a problem with a wisdom tooth had hampered his prepartions just over a week before the race.

"It went better than I expected. With this wisdom tooth problem I haven't started in the best possible shape. But I hope that little by little I'll find my form," said Cobo.

Rabobank finished second at 10 seconds after having initially been in the hot seat with Omega Pharma QuickStep third and BMC fourth, all on the same time.

Pres stage favourites Sky and Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank stayed in touch for their team leaders Chris Froome and Alberto Contador.

Sky finished 5th while Saxo Bank-Tinkoff bank claimed 7th.

Contador said he was pleased to finish close to the other top riders in his first Grand Tour after completing a two-year doping ban.

"I felt good and that's really important. The team prepared this stage well. We can go back to our hotel feeling we've done a good job," he said.

"I'd like to thank the people who have been waiting out there for so long in the terrible heat to cheer us on. This wasn't a win but it's dedicated to them all the same."

Garmin-Sharp had a horror start to their Vuelta campaign after four riders crashed with 5km left to ride. The American based team finished in a last place tie with local team Casa Rural at 1min 28sec.

The second stage of the Vuelta a Espana is expected to be a sprinters showdown with the peloton riding a flat 181.4km from Pamplona to Viana.

Stage 1: 16.5km ITT, Pamplona
1 Movistar 18min 51sec  
2 Rabobank 0:00:10  
3 Omega Pharma Quickstep    
4 BMC    
5 Sky 0:00:12  
6 Lotto-Belisol    
7 Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:00:14  
8 Katusha 0:00:15  
9 Euskaltel-Euskadi 0:00:28  
10 Orica-GreenEDGE 0:00:33  
11 Astana 0:00:34  
12 AG2R    
13 Vacansoleil DCM 0:00:35  
14 Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:41  
15 Cofidis 0:00:47  
16 Lampre-ISD 0:00:54  
17 RadioShack-Nissan 0:00:55  
18 FDJ-BigMat 0:00:57  
19 Argos-Shimano 0:00:59  
20 Andalucia 0:01:01
21 Garmin-Sharp 0:01:28
22 Casa Rural 0:01:28

General classification
1 Jonathan Castroviejo (ESP) Movistar 18min 51sec     
2 Javier Moreno (ESP) Movistar 0:00:01     
3 Benat Intxausti (ESP) Movistar           
4 Nairo Quintana (COL) Movistar           
5 Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar           
6 Juan Jose Cobo (ESP) Movistar 0:00:04     
7 Niki Terpstra (NED) Omega Pharma-QuickStep 0:00:10     
8 Dario Cataldo (ITA) Omega Pharma-QuickStep           
9 Kevin De Weert (BEL) Omega Pharma-QuickStep           
10 Kristof Vandewalle (BEL) Omega Pharma-QuickStep