These riders did manage to keep up with Primoz Roglic: "Hopefully, it stays this way throughout the Vuelta"

The first blow is half the battle, Primoz Roglic must have thought on Tuesday. The Slovenian from Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe secured a double victory in the very first mountain stage of the Vuelta a España, immediately showing that he’s not to be trifled with. Only six riders were able to finish in the same time as Roglic.

Among them, of course, was Lennert Van Eetvelt, who, for a moment, thought he had won as he took the inside corner. The Belgian from Lotto-Dstny, along with Enric Mas (Movistar), was one of the only riders who could keep up with Roglic throughout the climb. This was a source of satisfaction for the man from Mallorca. "I feel good and was able to follow Roglic. I hope it continues like this for the entire race," said the Spaniard, who traditionally performs well in his home tour.

"We finished with a group of seven, and there were significant gaps behind us, which I think is important for the GC," Mas added. The Movistar rider was also impressed by Roglic and his team, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. "They played their cards well, and in the end, Roglic was the strongest," he admitted honestly.

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Gall and Landa see their attacks falter but remain positive

Felix Gall attempted an early attack for Decathlon AG2R, but was eventually reeled in by Roglic and his team. The Austrian ultimately finished fifth, one spot behind Mas. "It was an incredibly hot day, and I have to admit, I didn’t feel great. It wasn’t until the final climb that I started to feel like I had good legs."

Ben O'Connor lost more than a minute. "He’s the team leader, I’m just the backup," said Gall. "I have a free role, so I had nothing to lose. That’s why I took a risk and attacked early, going on instinct. On a hot day, it’s hard to pace yourself, but I didn’t blow up. Maybe at the end, I watched the others a bit too much, but overall, I’m proud. I’m happy with my legs after a tough Tour."

Mikel Landa was the last to join the group and tried an attack in the final few hundred meters. "I struggled on the steep sections, but I was able to maintain a good pace. I tried to surprise them, but it didn’t work out. The finish was further than I expected. I was a bit worried about this stage because I wasn’t feeling well and the heat was intense. But it went okay, and I hope things only improve from here."