American cyclist Brandon McNulty won the opening stage time trial of the Vuelta a España in Lisbon, completing the 12km course in 12 minutes and 35 seconds. He edged out Czech rider Mathias Vacek by two seconds, with Belgium's Wout van Aert finishing third, three seconds behind McNulty. Defending champion Sepp Kuss finished 53 seconds behind, placing 62nd, while three-time winner Primoz Roglic came in eighth, 17 seconds off the lead. McNulty will wear the red jersey in the second stage, a hilly 194km route from Cascais to Ourém. McNulty expressed surprise at his victory, attributing it to strong legs and good form in training despite challenging windy conditions.