Julius Johansen scores first pro win in O Gran Camiño opener

Julius Johansen (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) is the first overall leader of O Gran Camiño after he claimed victory in the stage 1 time trial to Torre de Hércules above A Coruña.

The Dane was quickest at each of the intermediate checks on the 15km course, and he dealt smoothly with the final climb to the line to take the honours 16 seconds ahead of Rafael Reis (Anicolor/Campicarn), while Nelson Oliveira (Movistar) came home in third. Johansen’s teammate Adam Yates took sixth place, 40 seconds down.

Ivan Roméo (Movistar) had been Johansen’s closest challenger at each of the two intermediate checks, but the Spaniard’s challenge unravelled when he suffered a puncture midway through his effort and he came some 1:29 down, his GC hopes severely damaged.

Reis had looked on the cusp of an upset. The Portuguese rider had gone out relatively conservatively, but he bounded up the cobbled climb to the line quicker than anyone else to take his place in the hot seat.

Once Roméo endured his bout of ill fortune, only Johansen stood between Reis and an unexpected victory. 

Johansen was the last man down the start ramp, and he was quickly up and running, going nine seconds quicker than Roméo at the first check. He would maintain his rhythm across the 15km course to pick up the first victory of his professional career.