Lotto Belisol to start the action.

The opening stage of the 2013 Tirreno-Adriatico kicks off this afternoon with a 16.9 km team time trial between San Vincenzo and Donoratico.

The course in the vicinity of the Mediterranean coast should be flat and fast, and will pass through the Bolgheri vineyards.

Vincenzo Nibali, defending champion of the 'Race of the Two Seas', has earned his new Astana squad the last slot down the starting ramp at 15:48. However, there will plenty of teams setting markers for just over an hour before the Astana team sees action.

Lotto Belisol will start the fireworks at 14:45, and next on the list is Orica GreenEdge, who claimed the stage in 2012, steamrollering the early pointer set by Garmin - Barracuda. They would eventually finish in third place with RadioShack in second.

BMC, the 19th team down the start ramp, will be among the favoured squads for the stage, with the presence of individual world championship silver medallist Taylor Phinney.

Reigning World Champions in the discipline, Omega Pharma - Quick-Step, however, must bear the burden of being the favourites and the team to defeat with individual world champion Tony Martin, Michal Kwiatkowski and Niki Terpstra all powerful riders in the race against the clock.

Starting times for the teams:

1. Lotto Belisol 14:45

2. Orica GreenEdge 14:48

3. Katusha Team 14:51

4. Movistar Team 14:54

5. Cannondale Pro Cycling 14:57

6. Vacansoleil-DCM 15:00

7. Omega Pharma-Quick Step 15:03

8. Sky Procycling 15:06

9. RadioShack-Leopard 15:09

10. Team NetApp-Endura 15:12

11. Ag2r La Mondiale 15:15

12. FDJ 15:18

13. Lampre-Merida 15:21

14. Garmin Sharp 15:24

15. Saxo-Tinkoff 15:27

16. Blanco 15:30

17. MTN-Qhubeka 15:33

18. Vini Fantini 15:36

19. BMC Racing Team 15:39

20. Euskaltel Euskadi 15:42

21. Argos-Shimano 15:45

22. Astana 15:48