Wout van Aert and Tadej Pogacar ready for Vuelta opening time trial

The Vuelta will start on Saturday, August 22, in Monaco with an opening time trial of 9.4 kilometers. According to the organizers, the time trial will begin at 16:17 with Spaniard Diego Uriarte from Equipo Kern Pharma being the first to depart from the starting podium.

Wout van Aert, one of the favorites in this edition of the Vuelta, will start at 19:17, two minutes before Tadej Pogacar, who will go at 19:19. Van Aert is aiming for a strong performance and the red leader's jersey, while Pogacar is focusing on a smart racing strategy.

Both riders have different expectations regarding the time trial. Van Aert sees five or six real opportunities in the Vuelta, while Pogacar indicates that the time trial may not be his strongest point. He primarily wants to race tactically during the competition.

The start times for the top riders are as follows: the first departing rider is Diego Uriarte at 16:17, followed by various riders at one-minute intervals until the last three riders, including Van Aert and Pogacar, are set to go.

Van Aert has recently been free from the elbow injury that previously plagued him. This gives him added confidence for the Vuelta, while Pogacar is preparing to closely monitor the race's tactics.

The opening time trial will be decisive not only for the classification but also for the morale of the riders. Eyes are on the performances of Van Aert and Pogacar, both of whom have shared their plans for the race.