After numerous from complaints from riders about the state of the course to be used for the opening stage of the Vuelta a Espana, the organisers have now announced that the times from the stage won’t count towards the general classification.

The stage consists of a 7.4 kilometre team time trial along the seafront between Puerto Banus and Marbella. Photos appeared online posted by various cyclists which showed the course to be covered in sand and extremely narrow.

According to the Spanish site Biciciclismo, the organisers have now decided that the planned route will be still be used but that the times will not count towards the individual classification. Their statement is as follows:

Official statement:

The Technical Jury, having heard the concerns of teams and riders and after an inspection of the course with the technical director of the race, and after obtaining the agreement of the UCI has decided:

1. The stage will be held on the planned route.
2. The recorded time will be counted for the team classification and not for the individual general classification.

Amongst the cyclists who had taken to Twitter to complain about the state of the course were Chris Froome and Nicolas Roche (Team Sky) and Rory Sutherland (Movistar).

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