1. Leopard Trek (16min 30secs)

2. Liquigas              (+4)

3. HTC-Highroad    (+9)

20. Team Sky          (+42)

Leopard Trek took victory in the opening team time trial at the Vuelta a Espana to place Jakob Fuglsang into the race lead. The Luxembourg squad finished with five riders but clocked a time of 16 minutes and 30 seconds to edge out Liquigas and ensure the Dane became the first recipient of the red leader’s jersey. Team Sky endured a difficult start to the race and dropped time following a crash in the opening stages.

“That wasn’t the best of starts to be honest. We’d gone over everything a lot in the past few days and thought we had it down to a tee. We’d changed the order a few times and got it perfect, and we started out great.

“Kurt led us out because he’s so experienced at these things. We began by taking things easy, but not too easy, set a good tempo, and it was all going well until there was a touch of wheels or something which meant Zandio had to unclip. Kurt also crashed at that point which was hard because it meant everyone behind him had to chase a couple of bike-lengths to get back on.

“We regrouped as best we could and gave it everything, and although we lost 42 seconds, over a three-week race that’s going to be insignificant. It would’ve been nice if we could have got a result for Bradley, but we all gave it 100% and that’s all you can ask for at the end of the day.

“Zandio deserves special praise because he did brilliantly to get back on after unclipping. He gave a huge effort to chase up that hill and having him there with us was a big bonus.

“Tomorrow’s stage is one that I’ll be looking to do well in as a sprinter. I’m feeling strong so I’ll try and get in the mix and test out the legs and see how I go. I’ve done a few sprints in training over the past few days and have been hitting some good numbers, but obviously in a race situation after 174km anything can happen. I’d love to get a stage win but there’s so many good sprinters here so we’ll have to see. I’m just grateful to get the opportunity to get the chance to go toe-to-toe with those guys in a Grand Tour.”

“It was a really tough start.

“We lost Kurt after a kilometre. He came down and Zandio was also held up. Xabier had to chase down the group after that and then in the final we were down with four guys.

“Some positive things are that Kurt is looking really fit and Bradley is looking super strong. If you look at the overall picture with some of the main contenders Bradley lost some time but to most of them he lost around 20-25 seconds. It is a loss of course and we aren’t happy with it but it could be worse. Everyone is okay so we will carry on and try to make up for it.”

Alexandre Vinokourov will ride for the last Tour de France in his career as cyclist. At a press conference this afternoon he outlined his goals, discussed his feelings about this 

race, and finally talked about his future and that of team Astana.

Alexandre, what is your goal for this 2011 Tour?

As I said from the beginning of the season, my goal for that year would be to wear the yellow jersey a few days, to end my career on a beautiful note. Then, I'd like to win a mountain stage if possible. Then, we will focus on the best team classification . Concerning the general, I know I can not expect an overall victory, I have already finished third in Tour de France (in 2003) and fifth (in 2005) and I am pleased to see that I'm in good shape. I’ve seen I can feel good during one week race like the Critérium du Dauphiné recently, but three weeks is more difficult, we'll see what can happen!

Have you spotted a stage where you would love to attack?

I have not scheduled a stage in particular, I saw that the arrival of tomorrow could suit me for example. There is also the stage Tuesday with the Mur de Bretagne and other stages at the end of first week. But I do not program in advance, when I feel good, I feel that the legs respond well, I'm going.

In your opinion, is it the Pyrenees or the Alps which will decide the general classification of the Tour?

I think that the Pyrenees will be very selective, but are the Alps will decide the final victory. In particular the stage in the Alpes d'Huez after climbing the Galibier, rankings will surely change, and also the time trial in Grenoble might change the standings.  

This will be your participation in the ninth Tour de France, what do you think of this race? What is your fondest memory?

It's the biggest race in the world, here we have different sensations than other races, it's incomparable. And it works up to the year for this moment. I think it's a great race and also a great spectacle for the spectators. My best memory, may be the final podium in 2003. And also, my victory on the Champs Elysees in 2005, it was a great surprise, I had already tried several times to win this stage and this is the kind of events that happen once in a lifetime, it’s a very good memory.

It's really your last Tour de France?

Yes, this will be my last Tour, well, my last Tour on the bike. As I said from the beginning of the season, I will end my cycling career this year, in September, I will turn 38, it seems to be the right time. If there was not the Astana team, I think I could continue for 2 or 3 years, not to win the long race, but to win some stages. But I want to do as riders like Richard Virenque and Laurent Jalabert who decided to stop their career at the right time.

What will you do next? Will you become a manager of the Astana team?

Regarding my future, nothing is decided yet, first I will stay focus on this Tour de France. Then I will take a few days off in Kazakhstan, I will discuss with the sponsors of the team and the Kazakh government on that occasion. I'd love to continue to work within the Astana team, is a project dear to my heart. Become manager is always possible, it is true that this team has been created around me in the beginning, but I don’t want to go too fast. For example I can start working alongside Giuseppe Martinelli to learn, if I had to work in the direction of the team, I want to take my time.

What about the future of the Astana team?

We have a Pro Tour license for 3 years and our sponsor has committed to three years (until 2013), until there are good results, I think it will continue. We follow a political and a sport project with this team, not a commercial purpose. We're here to represent an entire nation and we are really proud of it. For years to come, we don’t want to recruit only stars from other countries, we also plan to train young Kazakhs to win some good races. We hope that the Astana team will be part of a training project, with the creation of a second team Astana to train promising young Kazakhs, so that they incorporate the Pro Team Astana after a solid preparation. For example, Andrey Zeits (who finished 2nd overall in Tour of Turkey 2011) who is here with us in Tour de France, is representative of this new generation of Kazakh riders. He has potential, and if he works hard, I think that one day he will be able to win races such as Paris-Nice.

Félicitation pour votre victoire au Tour du Méditerranéen. Pouvez-vous nous parler de votre attaque et victoire solo qui vous avez rendu gagnant du Tour?

A. C’est une montée que je connais très bien, j’ai vu Péraud attaqué au pied, et je me suis lancé à sa poursuite à 3 kms du sommet, j’ai refais mon retard peu à peu et je suis rentré sur lui à 500m du sommet, j’ai ensuite accéléré à 300m de l’arrivée pour finir seul

A. It’s a climb I know well, I saw Peraud attack at the bottom and I started chasing 3km from the summit. I closed the gap slowly and caught him with 500m to go then I accelerated with 300m to go to cross the finish line solo.

Q. Does a win in a big event such as this give you confidence for the rest of 2011?

Es-ce que cette victoire vous donne confiance pour ce qui reste de la longue saison ?

A. oui, c’est toujours bon pour le moral de gagner en début de saison, ça met un peu moins de pression pour le reste de l’année

A. Yes, it’s always good for the moral to get a win early in the season. It takes a bit of pressure off me for the rest of the year.

Q. Speaking of 2011, are there any specific races you’re targeting and will we see you representing Cofidis in the Grand Tours?

En parlant de la saison 2011, es-ce qu’il y a des courses en particuliers que vous visez ? Et es-ce qu’on vous verrez dans les couleurs Cofidis aux Grand Tours ?

A. J’aimerais faire un bon Dauphiné et surtout un bon Tour de France.

A. I’d like to go well at the Dauphine and definitely at the Tour de France

Q. You signed with Cofidis in 1997 and have raced with them ever since, which is a very rare thing in the world of cycling. What does it mean to you to race with one of the most famous teams in professional cycling?

Vous avez signé avec Cofidis en 1997 et continue de porter ses couleurs jusqu’à présent – ce qui est rare dans le Monde cyclisme. Qu’est-ce que ça signifie pour vous, d’avez la chance d’être partie d’un des plus fameux équipes en sport cyclisme pour cette duration?

A. Oui cela fait quinze ans que je suis dans cette équipe et je n’ai jamais eu le souhait de tenter l’aventure ailleurs, j’ai progressé dans cette équipe, je connais tout le monde et je m’y sens bien.

A. Yes, I have been in the team for 15 years and have never wanted to be anywhere else. I have progressed in this team, I know everyone and I am comfortable here.

Q. Let’s go back to the 2004 Tour de France and stage 11 to Figeac. Can you describe the emotion as you crossed the line for your first ever Tour stage win?

Retournons-nous au Tour de France 2004 et en particulier, Stage 11 à Figeac. Pouvez-vous décrire l’émotion sentie quand vous avez obtenu votre première victoire au Tour ?

A. C’est mon plus beau souvenir sur le vélo, le Tour de France était un rêve quand j’étais jeune, de plus l’arrivée se situait à 50kms de chez moi dans mon département, alors imaginez la joie de pouvoir s’imposer. C’est une sorte de consécration, c’était un des objectifs de ma carrière que de gagner une étape du Tour de France.

A. It is my best memory on the bike; the Tour de France was always a dream when I was younger. The finish was 50km from my house in my hometown, so you can imagine how happy it made me. It was a sort of consecration; it was always a goal of mine in my career to win a stage in the Tour de France.

Q. How did this compare with winning stage 12 of the 2005 Tour from Briançon to Digne-les-Bains as a Frenchman, on Bastille Day?

Comment trouvez-vous cette victoire par rapport à la victoire du 2005 Tour de Briançon à Digne-les-Bains ? Particulièrement en étant Français et Stage 12 était le 14 Juillet, le fête national du prise de la Bastille ?

A. Ca reste aussi forcément un grand souvenir, peut-être moins important que ma première victoire sur le Tour l’année précédente , mais ça encore plus marqué le public, après cette victoire, j’étais devenu le vainqueur du 14 juillet et on m’en parle encore car je suis le dernier vainqueur français le 14 juillet.

A. It is obviously also a great memory, maybe less important than my first win in the Tour the year before, but it meant a lot to the public, after this win, I was the winner of the 14^th of July and people still talk about it because I was the last Frenchman to win on the 14^th July.

Q. In stage races we often see you either way off the front in a breakaway, or towards the back of the peloton. Can you explain to us the workings of the peloton and why you like to race this way?

Dans les courses, on peut vous voire soit à la tête du peloton, souvent dans les échappes, soit à l’arrière du groupe. Pouvez-vous décrire comment ça marche le peloton et pourquoi vous préférer courir de cette manière ?

A. Effectivement je suis soit échappé soit derrière jamais au milieu du peloton, tout simplement parce que je n’aime dépenser mon énergie à frotter.Et je me sens pas trop à l’aise à l’intérieur du peloton.

A. Definitely, I am either off the front or at the back but never in the middle of the peloton, simply because I don’t like to spend my energy moving around in the bunch. And I don’t really feel comfortable in the middle of the peloton.

Q. People often describe you as being very relaxed and a rider who simply loves riding his bike. Do you think these qualities are what make you such a successful rider?

On dit que vous êtes très insouciante et un coureur qui aime simplement faire du vélo. Es-ce que vous pensez que ces grandes qualités contribuent à votre succès sur le vélo ?

A.  Le cyclisme est avant tout une passion, je prends plaisir à m’entrainer et à courir mais je ne recherche pas forcément la gloire. Aprés c’est sur c’est un métier et on me demande des résultats mais j’essaie d’être le plus détendu possible, ce n’est que du sport.

A. Cycling is foremost a passion, I take pleasure in training and racing but I don’t necessarily chase glory. Although it is a job and I am expected to get results, I try to be as laid back as possible, after all it is only sport.

Q. You have an excellent reputation as a clean rider, how does it make you feel when you see the drama unfolding with cases such as Contador & Ricco?

Vous avez une excellente réputation d’un coureur ‘propre’, comment ça vous faites ressentir quand vous voyez des drames se dérouler comme celles avec Contador et Ricco ?

A. Cela donne toujours une mauvaise image du cyclisme et c’est dur de s’en débarrasser , on espère que le public ne met tout les coureurs dans le même sac.

A. Stuff like this always gives cycling a bad reputation and it’s hard to get rid of it, we just hope that the spectators don’t put all the riders in the same bag.

And finally...

Q. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? And why!!??

Et finalement, si vous pouvez manger une seule nourriture pour le reste de votre vie, ce sera quoi ? Et pourquoi ?

A. Pizzas j’aime beaucoup

A. I really like Pizza.