to the first stage of the the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 7.7-kilometer team time trial at the Parque Tec. Ciencias de la Salud in Granada.

There are 19 teams contesting the Vuelta this year:
Teams for the 2008 Vuelta a España

Ag2r-La Mondiale (F)
Andalucia-Caja Sur (Sp)
Astana (Swi)
Bouygues Telecom (F)
Caisse d'Epargne (Sp)
Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone (F)
Credit Agricole (F)
Euskaltel–Euskadi (Sp)
Française des Jeux (F)
Gerolsteiner (G)
Karpin Galicia (Sp)
Lampre (I)
Liquigas (I)
Quick Step (B)
Rabobank (Ned)
Silence-Lotto (B)
Tinkoff Credit Systems (I)
Team CSC (Den)
Team Milram (G)

Today's route is pan flat - changing not much more than 15 meters over the course - but it does involve a number of turns, which should add to the difficulty of trying to keep nine riders working in coordinated fashion. The Andalucia-Caja Sur team will be the first to leave the start. Indeed, the team is now lined up on the starting ramp as race organizers go through all of the traditional chit-chat marking the start of the race. We see a military band and I number of fellows in uniform doing a bit of precision rifle-handling, always a helpful thing to do in a bike race.

The first team is now on its way and the 2008 Vuelta has started. The Andalucia-Caja Sur team is staying together and we'll have a look at how they do through the many tuns on today's route.

Up next is the Tinkoff team. The Andaluza team has already suffered problems with one rider hitting the deck on a turn.

Word from Greenville is that Dave Zabriskie has one the national time trial title. Tom Zirbel was second and Christian Vande Velde was third.

the Milram team is lining up to be the third team to start today's route.

Andalucia finishes with a time of 8:56. They finished with only six riders. The team's average speed was just 51kph.

is looking far more organized out there. The team is terrific at setting up a great finishing train for its top sprinters, so a 7.7km team time trial isn't going to be too much of a challenge for these fellas.

is on route.

finishes with a full crew and smash Andalucia's time, with an 8:33.

has set a top time at the 3.5km time check, besting Tinkoff's time by four seconds. We can expect the lead to change once again. Indeed, the Milrams may be in the hotseat for some time.

is on the starting line. Three-time world champion Oscar Freire is busy flirting with one of the rather attractive women recruited to hold riders' bikes up on the start ramp.

Tinkoff's 8:33 has held up as the top time so far. Milram came through with an 8:36. Now that's a surprise.

Top three times
Tinkoff Credit Systems (I), 8:33
Team Milram (G), at 0:03
Andalucia-Caja Sur (Sp), at 0:23

the fourth team to finish comes in with an 8:41, the third best of the day so far. The team came apart on the day's final turn and th big split cause a bit of a delay, as some riders were forced to wait for others. Remember that the team's time is based on the time of the fifth rider to cross the line.

is flying through the final stretch and they cross with ... an 8:34, one second time off of Tinkoff's time.

The Lampre team is off on its way.

We're waiting for Quick Step team to come in... and here they come. 8:31! With Tom Boonen leading the charge, the Quick Step team comes through with a time two seconds better than Tinkoff.

let's stay with them. They're doing a fine job, keeping the squad mostly intact and negotiating the turns on the final stretch.

Oh yeah... they have it. They have crushed Quick Step's time by 10 seconds. The new top mark is now 8:21.

1. Liquigas, 8:21
2. Quick Step, 8:31
3. Tinkoff Credit Systems, 8:33
4. Rabobank, 8:34
5. Team Milram, 8:36

Comes through well down, with an 8:40. That's sixth best so far.

is looking good out there. They do have the power of Stefan Schumacher who won both major time trial stages at the Tour de France this year.

Good-sized crowds have turned out in Granada today in what's a flat, but technical circuit through the heart of the city.

Carlos Sastre is still on the rollers - working up quite a sweat. Despite it being well into evening, it's still above 90 degrees. Great temperature for an evening stroll.

CSC will be the final team out of the gates today, with Sastre wearing race No. 1, since he finished as runner-up to Denis Menchov who isn't here this year.

The team of Stefan Schumacher doesn't pull it off. They are way back with an 8:39.

Euskaltel-Euskadi just rolled down the start ramp. Igor Anton skipped the Tour de France to give everything for the Vuelta. "I'd love to finish on the final podium. I think I am capable of doign well in three weeks and I'd love to win another stage. Every climber dreams of winning on the Angliru."

Credit Agricole just rolled down the start ramp, another team folding at the end of this season.

Dirk Demol is leaving Quick Step to return to Astana as a sport director for 2009: “These kinds of decisions are never easy. I joined this team at the beginning of the season with ambition and to test myself in a new environment.

us riding well and has set a the top time at the halfway mark.

and Euskaltel coming in, but not fast enough to take over the lead. The did manage to finish with the second best time so far, two seconds off of the Liquigas crew.

is now on route. They have a good crew on board:
Caisse d'Epargne
51. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte, (ESP)
52. David Arroyo Duran, (ESP)
53. José Vicente Garcia Acosta, (ESP)
54. Pablo Lastras Garcia, (ESP)
55. David Lopez Garcia, (ESP)
56. Alberto Losada Alguacil, (ESP)
57. Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez, (ESP)
58. Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver, (ESP)
59. Xabier Zandio Echaide, (ESP)

Credit Agricole comes in with a time 23 seconds off of that of the race-leading Liquigas squad.

is heading to the final kilometer.

comes through with a time of 8:41, 20 seconds off of Liquigas.

Cofidis, le Credit Par Telephone
61. Sylvain Chavanel, (FRA)
62. Kevin De Weert, (BEL)
63. Leonardo Duque, (COL)
64. Bingen Fernandez Bustinza, (ESP)
65. Maryan Hary, (FRA)
66. Frank Hoj, (DEN)
67. Sébastien Minard, (FRA)
68. Nick Nuyens, (BEL)
69. Staf Scheirlinckx, (BEL)

Now here's a biggie, folks. The Astana team is on its way.

Comes through with the day's third fastest time so far. But we still have Astana and CSC to come.

with a time of 8:49.9... not even close to challenging the mark.

that's the last team to leave today.

they must be flying. The Astana team has already lost four of its riders, either a sign of great speed or terrible organization.

So all teams have started. Liquigas still has the best time ... and the Astanas come in at 8:35, well off of the top time.

has hit the 3.5km time check with the sixth best time. It's beginning to look like Liquigas's time is safe.

and it looks like the Liquigas team will take the stage today.

with a time of 8:32, the fifth best, 11 seconds off of Liquigas's top mark.

will be the man in the leader's jersey today, since he crossed the line at the front of the Liquigas squad today.

1. Liquigas, 8:21
2. Euskaltel-Euskadi, 0:08
3. Caisse d'Epargne, 0:09
4. Quick Step, 0:10
5. CSC-Saxo Bank, 0:11
6. Tinkoff Credit Systems, 0:12
7. Rabobank, 0:13
8. Astana, 0:14
9. Team Milram, 0:15
10. Gerolsteiner, 0:18
11. Lampre, 0:19
12. Silence-Lotto, 0:20
13. Cofidis,
14. AG2R La Mondiale,
15. Xacobeo-Galicia, 0:21
16. Credit Agricole, 0:23
17. Francaise des Jeux, 0:27
18. Bouygues Telecom, 0:28
19. Andalucía-Cajasur, 0:32

from our man on the scene, Andrew Hood and we will also be getting photos from Graham Watson and, of course, complete results.

Again the final team time trial results are as follows:

1. Liquigas, 8:21
2. Euskaltel-Euskadi, 0:08
3. Caisse d'Epargne, 0:09
4. Quick Step, 0:10
5. CSC-Saxo Bank, 0:11
6. Tinkoff Credit Systems, 0:12
7. Rabobank, 0:13
8. Astana, 0:14
9. Team Milram, 0:15
10. Gerolsteiner, 0:18
11. Lampre, 0:19
12. Silence-Lotto, 0:20
13. Cofidis,
14. AG2R La Mondiale,
15. Xacobeo-Galicia, 0:21
16. Credit Agricole, 0:23
17. Francaise des Jeux, 0:27
18. Bouygues Telecom, 0:28
19. Andalucía-Cajasur, 0:32

with Live up-to-the-minute coverage of the first full road stage of the Vuelta. Thanks for tuning in today and we'll be on as soon as the peloton rolls off the line.