Tarling sixth as McNulty wins first stage of Vuelta

American Brandon McNulty won nan opening shape of nan Vuelta a Espana pinch triumph by 2 seconds successful nan individual clip trial.

The UAE Team Emirates rider vanished nan level 12km shape betwixt Lisbon and Oeiras successful 12 minutes 35 seconds to separator retired Czech rider Mathias Vacek.

Belgian Wout van Aert had looked connected people to triumph nan shape astatine 1 point, but he had to settee for 3rd successful nan standings aft he vanished 3 seconds down McNulty, who went retired arsenic nan penultimate rider.

Welsh rider Josh Tarling placed sixth, conscionable 8 seconds adrift of nan shape winner, arsenic nan 20-year-old made his Grand Tour debut.

McNulty said: "I don't cognize if I expected to win. I knew if thing crazy happened I could, truthful I conjecture thing crazy happened.

"I was hoping for it, but this is difficult to judge for me. I had ace bully legs, and I've been emotion really bully successful training."

Last year's Vuelta victor Sepp Kuss vanished complete half a infinitesimal down connected three-time champion Primoz Roglic who was eighth fastest and 17 seconds down McNulty.

McNulty, 26, will get to deterioration nan reddish jersey successful Sunday's 194km 2nd shape from Cascais to Ourem.