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Lidl-Trek won the opening team time trial stage of the women\u2019s Vuelta on Sunday despite a crash on the final corner.<\/b><\/p>\n
The team features British rider Lizzie Deignan, who has returned to competition despite breaking her arm when she crashed out of the Tour of Flanders just four weeks ago.<\/p>\n
Her Italian team-mate Gaia Realini crossed the line as the first Lidl-Trek rider and takes the overall general classification lead.<\/p>\n
The final moments of their time trial saw Ellen van Dijk crash, taking down team-mate Briton Elynor Backstedt but as Brodie Chapman and Elisa Longo Borghini waited for Realini and Deignan to catch up crossed the line just nine-hundredths of a second faster than second-placed Team Visma-Lease.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo of my team-mates crashed but in the end we take this result and focus on the next stage,\u201d Realini said.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s Vuelta has been expanded to include eight stages. <\/p>\n
Sunday\u2019s time trial took place in Valencia and the race will finish in Valdesqui near Madrid via stages through the Pyrenees.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n