Welcome to live coverage of the opening road stage of the Vuelta a Espana, the 181.5 largely flat stage two from Pamplona to Viana.

Thanks for joining us today. Be sure to return on Monday for the race's first taste of the mountains: there are four climbs on the agenda, including a punchy Cat.1 summit finish.

No change on the GC, with Castroviejo leading four Movistar team-mates at the top of the standings and a cluster of riders lurking within 10 seconds of the summit.

John Degenkolb takes the win for Argos Shimano! The German youngster pips Australian Allan Davis, with Team Sky's Ben Swift settling for third. Liquigas's Elia Viviani was fourth.

Swift, Degenkolb and Davis are going head to head...

RadioShack are there too for their man Bennati...

Under the 1km-to-go banner and it's still GreenEdge on the front, with Argos and FDJ there too.

This is a long and slightly uphill, straight final drag into Viana.

Lagutin has been caught as Orica-GreenEdge continue the pace setting.

GreenEdge now take up the slack through Daniel Teklehaimanot, the Eritrean champion.

The Uzbek national champion, Lagutin, has 12 seconds on the pack.

ATTACK: Sergey Lagutin of Vacansoleil-DCM opens up a gap after taking the peloton by surprise on a slight rise.

Omega Pharma-Quick Step are on the front now. There are quite a few roundabouts in the lead into the finish.

Saxo Tinkoff and Rabobank are picking up the pace as the peloton starts to string out.

The peloton pass under the 10km-to-go banner. We're all set for a bumper bunch sprint. There's a lot at stake: with the time bonuses available, we could see a new red jersey tonight.

Ignatiev and Aramendia sit up, shake hands and get reabsorbed by the peloton. The sprinters' teams have come to the front and are driving the pace.

The leading duo have just 25 seconds now, with the peloton now being led by Team Sky. They want a win for their man Ben Swift.

It was Ignatiev who took the six second bonus and four green jersey points at the intermediate sprint in first place. Not that it means much: he is more than two minutes down on GC and his eight points in the green jersey competition will be beaten by whoever wins the stage today.

In fact, Saxo Bank's Alberto Contador did managed to pip the rest of the peloton to take a two-second bonus for third place over the intermediate sprint just then. That seemed to be the cause of mirth for Castroviejo.

The two leaders are about the cross the finish line - but it's not over yet: the race now takes the riders on a 18km loop before the proper finish. The gap back to the bunch is 39 seconds. Chacon has been caught by the pack and red jersey Jonathan Castroviejo seems to be enjoying himself judging by the smile on his face.

The two leaders have 20 seconds on lone rider Chacon and another 30 seconds on the peloton as they approach the second intermediate sprint. The clouds are still very grey - as grey as the tarmac.