Lidl-Trek dominate the opening team time trial at Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana winning with an impressive margin of 47 seconds.
The Team went into the day fully prepared, having reconned today’s opening 34.3km-long team time trial at their January training camp, and with one clear goal: to win.
As soon as the group rolled off the ramp, it was obvious that every single rider meant business and an impressively strong team performance out on course saw them stop the clock at 39 minutes 19 seconds to move into the hot seat.
That’s it! Officially winners of the opening TTT at #VCV2025 🥳🥳🥳🥳 pic.twitter.com/3RCEwdiywj
— Lidl-Trek (@LidlTrek) February 5, 2025
As one of the first teams to start, it was a long wait to see if Lidl-Trek had done enough to secure victory with potentially some of the toughest competition to come in the last group of teams. However, in the end, no one was able to get close to matching the benchmark set by the Team and it was Simone Consonni, Daan Hoole, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier, Jonathan Milan, Jakob Söderqvist, Edward Theuns, and Mathias Vacek who stepped onto the podium as the first winners of the race.
ORIHUELA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 05: A general view of Simone Consonni of Italy, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier of Eritrea, Jonathan Milan of Italy, Edward Theuns of Belgium, Mathias Vacek of Czech Republic, Jakob Soderqvist of Sweden, Daan Hoole of Netherlands and Team Lidl - Trek celebrate at podium as team time trial winners during the 76th Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2025, Stage 1 a 34.3km stage from Orihuela to Orihuela on February 05, 2025 in Orihuela, Spain. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
In fact, Lidl-Trek was the only team to step onto the podium with Mathias Vacek crossing the line first to take the race leader’s yellow jersey, as well as the jersey for the best young rider while, Jonathan Milan will wear the KOM jersey tomorrow with Daan Hoole in the Points jersey.
ORIHUELA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 05: Mathias Vacek of Czech Republic and Team Lidl - Trek celebrates at podium as Yellow Leader Jersey winner during the 76th Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2025, Stage 1 a 34.3km stage from Orihuela to Orihuela on February 05, 2025 in Orihuela, Spain. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
ORIHUELA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 05: Jonathan Milan of Italy and Team Lidl - Trekcelebrates at podium as Polka dot Mountain Jersey winner during the 76th Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2025, Stage 1 a 34.3km stage from Orihuela to Orihuela on February 05, 2025 in Orihuela, Spain. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
ORIHUELA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 05: Mathias Vacek of Czech Republic and Team Lidl - Trek celebrates at podium as White Best Young Jersey winner during the 76th Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2025, Stage 1 a 34.3km stage from Orihuela to Orihuela on February 05, 2025 in Orihuela, Spain. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
ORIHUELA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 05: Daan Hoole of Netherlands and Team Lidl - Trek celebrates at podium as Orange Points Jersey winner during the 76th Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2025, Stage 1 a 34.3km stage from Orihuela to Orihuela on February 05, 2025 in Orihuela, Spain. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
Mathias Vacek
It's a really great feeling. We could even think about the margin we had at the finish, about 50 seconds. It’s crazy what we did today. We aimed high, but winning is something special for us, and for the team it’s a great success. We’re super confident now for the next races and time trials. Today we enjoyed our victory and we left everything out there. It feels so great.
It was not really decided that I should pass the finish first, but I was in the first position before the downhill and I stayed there until the finish line, and I’m proud that I can wear the yellow jersey now for the next stage. I want to thank my team, to the other guys because without them it wouldn’t be possible. The team effort we put in and all the details we worked on, now it paid off and it feels great. I don’t want to say that I’m going to win the next stages, but I’ll try to keep the jersey for as long as possible.
I have a good gap to the other teams but for sure it will be hard racing with some tough climbs in the next says. I’ll see how I feel but I will leave it all out there to keep the jersey as long as possible.
ORIHUELA, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 05: Mathias Vacek of Czech Republic and Team Lidl - Trek celebrates at podium as Yellow Leader Jersey winner during the 76th Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana 2025, Stage 1 a 34.3km stage from Orihuela to Orihuela on February 05, 2025 in Orihuela, Spain. (Photo by Szymon Gruchalski/Getty Images)
Jonathan Milan
I would say absolutely yes [it went to plan]. The plan was a bit easy – go full gas and give 100% of ourselves, so we were believing in this. We were also try this time trial in the last month, during the January training camp. From the beginning we looked and said that with our team it would be really perfect. I think it’s a perfect result.
I think it was the plan to make Mathias first. In the end everyone deserves this victory, everyone gave 100%. Mathias did a nice pace and I think he can play his cards also in the next days.
I think I’ll have to wait a bit. The last stage should be pretty interesting for me. I’ll have to suffer a bit, I’ll help my teammates and we’ll see.
