The Leopard-Trek team won the opening stage 1 team time trial of the 2011 Vuelta a Espana late this afternoon, putting Dane Jakob Fuglsang into the position of the race's first leader.

Italian squad Liquigas-Cannondale, headed by defending 2010 Tour of Spain winner Vincenzo Nibali, finished second behind the Luxembourg-based team on the technical, 13.5-km stage finishing close to Benidorm's seafront. Team HTC-HighRoad finished third.

Fuglsang was the first rider of the Leopard Trek team across the finish line and so will wear the leader's jersey in Sunday's 174-km stage from La Nucia to Playas de Orihuela.

The 2011 Vuelta a Espana finishes on September 11 in Madrid.

Watch video highlights from all stages of the 2011 Vuelta a Espana in our Roadcycling.com video section.

You'll find complete results and more photos from the team time trial here.