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In short:
Brandon McNulty opened the Vuelta a España by winning the individual time trial in a time of 12 minutes and 35 seconds.
Jay Vine was the best-placed Australian in 14th position, 24 seconds adrift of McNulty.
What's next?
The first three stages of this year's Vuelta are being held in Portugal.
American Brandon McNulty won the opening stage of the Vuelta a España in Portugal with the fastest time trial in the history of the Spanish Grand Tour race.
McNulty, who rides for UAE Team Emirates, finished the individual time trial in 12 minutes and 35 seconds.
He was two seconds faster than Czech rider Mathias Vacek.
Belgium's Wout van Aert finished third, three seconds off the winning time.
Jay Vine was the best-placed Australian in 14th position, 24 seconds adrift of McNulty.
McNulty recently finished fifth in the men's individual time trial at the Paris Olympics.
"I was hoping for something good today, but this is really hard to believe for me," McNulty said.
"I knew I could do something good, but I didn't expect to win.
"I just felt good and went as hard as I could. I gave everything I had."
The coastal wind played a pivotal role as riders went through a 12 kilometre route near the mouth of the Tajo River, going from Lisbon to Oeiras.
Defending Vuelta champion Sepp Kuss was 53 seconds slower than countryman McNulty and sits in 62nd place.
The first three stages of this year's Vuelta are taking place in Portugal.
The three-week race includes eight mountain stages and two individual time trials.
Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar is not participating in the Vuelta, the last Grand Tour race of the season.
AP/ABC
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