Only one step was left for the Movistar Team to open their 2015 season with a win. Spaniard Juanjo Lobato shifted expectations around his chances right in the first day of racing in Australia with a second place in the People’s Choice Classic, traditional prelude criterium - 30 laps, 51km - in Adelaide’s East End, the capital of the Southern state always opening action in the UCI WorldTour.

Supported by the whole block directed by José Luis Arrieta, the Andalusian made a long shot towards the finish and even led the pack for some metres before being overtaken by Marcel Kittel (TGA), the day’s biggest favourite and main rival for Lobato in a Tour Down Under where he will have no less than four chances to show his abilities. The first one should come on Tuesday with stage one, a 133km fraction leading the Blues from Tanunda to Campbelltown.

“I felt strong during the race, with good legs, yet I might have missed a bit of position in the crucial moments," Lobato said. "With 500 meters to go, at the sharp turn left, there was strong swerving and I lost the wheel of the Lotto train which I was following. That’s why I chose to launch my sprint from long before the finish - I still wanted to give it a try and snatch a good place.

"This result gives me confidence and shows we did things right during the offseason. I think I’m in the best form I could be at this point of the season; the team trusts me, I rely on them and I’m really willing to do well in the first three stages. Afterwards, we will be working for Gorka (Izagirre) and Rubén (Fernández) so they can do well in the hardest stages, but for the time being, we will give everything in the opening sprints to keep these results coming.”