It was a repeat of Movistar's 2012 victory in Pamplona, which also saw Castroviejo take the inaugural leader's red jersey.

The Spaniard will wear the red jersey tomorrow after guiding his team around the tricky 12.6 kilometre course, that contained no less than 22 roundabouts in a time of 14min 13sec.

Trek Factory Racing and Omega Pharma-Quick Step completed the top five at nine and 11 seconds back on the leaders respectively.

The result hands Castroviejo's team mate and pre-race favourite Nairo Quintana of Colombia an early advantage over Britain's Chris Froome and Spaniard Alberto Contador, expected to be the main challengers for the title over the next three weeks.

Jonathan Castroviejo will wear the leader's red jersey on stage two of the Vuelta a España - just as he did in 2012 ©AFP/Getty Images



Froome and Team Sky finished 27 seconds down on the leaders, while Contador's Tinkoff-Saxo team were 19 seconds off the pace.

Both riders will be determined to make up for the disappointment of crashing out of this year's Tour de France, but Quintana comes into the Vuelta in fine form after claiming victory at last week's Vuelta a Burgos and has Spain's Alejandro Valverde as a team co-leader.

The 24-year-old Colombian already has a Grand Tour win in the bag this year after claiming victory in the Giro d'Italia in June.

Froome relinquished his Tour de France crown after being forced out of this year's race on stage five following a series of heavy crashes and will be without a key ally for the trek around Spain with the absence of Team Sky's Australian Richie Porte.

Two-time Tour de France winner Contador suffered a similar fate when he retired on stage 10 last month after a nasty fall saw him fracture a bone in his right leg.

Nairo Quintana will be looking to build on his victory at the Giro d'Italia earlier this year
©Getty Images



On the eve of the Vuelta a España, last year's winner Chris Horner was pulled from the race by his Lampre-Merida team after his blood was found to have low levels of cortisol.

The 42-year-old American crated history last year by becoming the oldest winner of a Grand Tour.

But, although his cortisone level is not illegal, it is below that specified by the Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) and a decision was taken to replace him with Italian Valerio Conti.

Horner had been receiving treatment for bronchitis after the Tour de France which has caused the condition and he had been given therapeutic exemption from the International Cycling Union (UCI).

"It has been necessary for a change of programme," Lampre-Merida said in a statement.

"Even though Horner would be allowed to start the race as far as the UCI is concerned, the team are obliged to respect the rules and regulations of the MPCC organisation in a completely voluntary decision."

Defending champion Chris Horner has been pulled out of the Vuelta a España after low cortisol levels were found in his blood ©AFP/Getty Images





Tomorrow's relatively flat 174.4km stage sees the riders travel from Algeciras to San Fernando.

There are 10, six and four bonus seconds up for grabs for the top three riders on all road stages of this year's Vuelta.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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