Primož Roglič won the opening time trial at the Tour of the Basque Country ©Getty Images

Defending champion Primož Roglič earned the first leader’s jersey at the Tour of the Basque Country by posting the fastest time in the stage one individual time trial.

The Slovenian star is seeking to win the International Cycling Union (UCI) WorldTour race for the third time, following triumphs in 2018 and 2021.

Roglič impressed against the clock on a short 7.5-kilometre time trial in the town of Hondarribia.

The short circuit tested the riders with climbs and cobbled sections.

Roglič, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic time trial gold medallist, completed the course in a time of 9min 48sec.

It marked the second successive year Roglič has won the opening stage of the race.

The Jumbo-Visma team leader was one of only two riders to dip below the 10-minute mark.

Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel finished five seconds off the stage winner’s time, ending in 9:53.

Evenepoel is expected to be one of Roglič’s main challengers during the six-stage event.

His Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team-mate Remi Cavagna completed the top three on the stage, with the French rider completing his time trial in 10:04.

The Ineos-Grenadiers duo of Geraint Thomas and Adam Yates were a further two seconds down.

The British pair were matched by Russia’s Aleksandr Vlasov.

Racing is scheduled to continue tomorrow with a 207.9 kilometre stage from Leitza to Viana.