CSC has won Stage 1 of the Vuelta a Espana. The Danish squad powered over the flat, 7.2-km course in Malaga to win the 2006 Vuelta's team time trial in 7:36. Caisse d'Epargne finished second at 0:07, and Milram took third at 0:08. Carlos Sastre (CSC) is the race's first overall leader.

Lampre set the early standard. The Italian team rode the course in 7:57, but Credit Agricole bettered this time with a 7:49. T-Mobile edged Credit Agricole by 0:02, but Milram bested T-Mobile by 0:05.

Gerolsteiner finished 13th at 0:19, the German squad's day ruined when captain Davide Rebellin crashed. (Rebellin crossed the finish line solo.) Discovery Channel made a brave challenge but fell 0:01 short of Milram.

Caisse d'Epargne, which has Alejandro Valverde and Tour de France runner-up (for now) Oscar Pereiro, powered over the course in 7:43 to take the lead, but CSC, which was led by GC hopeful Carlos Sastre, blasted across the finish line 0:07 faster than the Spanish team to take the lead. The final team, Rabobank, was never a threat to win and finished 12th at 0:18.

In the overall, Sastre leads teammates Lars Ytting Bak and Nicki Sorensen by fractions of a second. Stage 2 will be one for the sprinters. The rolling, 167-km run from Malaga to Cordoba should end in a cavalry charge. Who will win it? Robbie McEwen (Davitamon)? Alessandro Petacchi (Milram)? Check in at www.roadcycling.com and find out!