Not known as a team of TT specialists, Caja Rural went into the opening team time trial in the Vuelta a Espana with the hope of limiting their losses. Having finished the stage in 20th, the team was satisfied with the outcome.

Caja Rural is expected to play an offensive and agressive role in the Vuelta a Espana while also targeting the GC with David Arroyo. However, the team doesn't have many TT specialists on their roster and so they didn't have too many expectations for the opening team time trial.

The team finished the stage in 20th, losing just 46 seconds to stage winners Movistar and the outcome left manager Eugenio Goikoetxea satisfied.

"We've saved the day," he said. "The goal was not to crash and not to lose too much time. We are just seconds from teams like Katusha and Garmin so we are satisfied. 

"Now the real Vuelta begins. We are eager to make war, taking leadership in every stage and seek results in the sprints and the mountains. We are eager to see if things will go well for us in this race."