Roglič was last to start the time trial, and completed the 7.1-kilometre route in 8min 32sec to take the red jersey and a six-second lead over Spain’s Alex Aranburu of Astana-Premier Techin, who is second after the first day.

Thirty-one-year-old Roglič claimed his sixth stage win at La Vuelta, having won the tour in 2019 and 2020 and also topped the International Cycling Union (UCI) world rankings at the end of the last two years.

He also arrives in Spain fresh from winning gold for his country in the individual time trial at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Roglič’s compatriot Jan Tratnik of Team Bahrain Victorious finished the first stage in third, eight seconds behind the leader and two seconds behind Aranburu.

New Zealand’s Tom Scully of EF Education-Nippo and Josef Černý of Deceuninck-QuickStep both completed the time trial 10 seconds slower than Roglič, with Dutch rider Dylan van Baarle of Ineos Grenadiers a further second behind.

Richard Carapaz of Ecuador and Ineos finished second at the last edition of the Vuelta a España and recently won the men's road race at Tokyo 2020, building on a third-placed finish at this year's Tour de France and a triumph at the Giro d'italia in 2019.

He goes into the second stage 25 seconds behind Roglič, while his Colombian team mate Egan Bernal is a further two seconds back.

This year’s Giro d’Italia winner and 2019 Tour de France champion Bernal is looking to complete a career grand slam, and is expected to challenge Roglič for the title in Spain.

The second stage of La Vuelta is being held tomorrow, with a 166.7km flat route from Caleruega to Burgos scheduled.

The 21-stage race is being held until September 5, and is cycling’s final Grand Tour of the year.