Hello and welcome back to live coverage of the Vuelta a Espana after yesterday's wholly unnecessary rest day. I mean, who do these riders think they are - swanning around Spain from coast to coast, it's what most of us call a holiday. What's more, there's only 32km on the menu today - which is peanuts...

No one?

Richie Porte is the latest rider to cross the line but his time of 42'12" - some 4'14" down on team-mate Dennis - sums his Vuelta up, really. In short: is there any point in him being here? A stage win in Andorra and a good showing in the Worlds may make it all worthwhile, but on the evidence of what we've seen, that's not likely.

Nelson Oliveira started quite solidly but he's tailed off, coming home 1'05" down on Dennis at the finish for fourth place.

It's the second best time for Captain America Joey Rosskopf who, like Castroviejo, is 50 seconds down on team-mate Dennis at the finish, but it's enough for provisional second place.

It's that man Rosskopf who is team-mate Dennis' biggest challenger at the second check, too. The American is nevertheless 46 seconds down, such is the Australian's dominance.

Update from the first intermediate check: Nelson Oliviera's gone through but he's 20 seconds down on Dennis' target time and six seconds down on Dennis' BMC team-mate Joey Rosskopf. Unsurprisingly, given their TT pedigree, BMC have another rider in the top seven - Alessandro De Marchi is 31 seconds down on Dennis.

Before Dennis crossed the line he passed Mark Padun (Bahrain-Merida) on the home staight. The Ukrainian started seven minutes ahead of him and was the next rider who would have been caught by Castroviejo had this time trial been a bit longer. So, Dennis caught five riders on the road - with Castroviejo and Ventoso evading his clutches.

Fastest time for Rohan Dennis! The Australian has probably produced the winning ITT there, coming home in a time of 37'57" over the 32km - that's 50 seconds clear of Castroviejo.

Spain's Jonathan Castroviejo is on the home straight now, having just passed Fran Ventoso, his third-minute man. It's the best time for now - 20 seconds clear of Asgreen - but he won't have long in the hot seat because of a certain steamrolling Australian.

Oliveira has passed his minute-man Nick Shultz of Caja Rural.

Meanwhile, Portugal's Nelson Oliviera (Movistar) is around five minutes into his ride. He's many people's outsider for today - although, to be fair, everyone's an outsider when lined up against Rohan Dennis.

At the second check, Dennis is a huge 51 seconds quicker than Castroviejo and a full minute faster than Campenaerts. There's only going to be one winner today.

Well, that's disappointing from Victor Campenaerts. He's all over the shop on the home straight - both in and out of the saddle, giving it his all but like a man who knows he's made a right hash of things. And that is what he has done: the Belgian is seven seconds down on Kasper Asgreen, and he won't be happy with that one.

It's a sunny day with the temperatures in the early 20s at Santillana del Mar, the start town.

Castroviejo, in his Spanish national champion's skin suit, goes through the second check 9 seconds clear of Campenaerts, so that's the new target time which will soon be shattered by Dennis. The Spaniard is about to catch his third rider - but Dennis caught two after only 10km.

It's the best time for Campenaerts at the second check but riding 10 seconds quicker than Kasper Asgreen over 21.4km will not win you a Grand Tour time trial, I'm afraid. His effort will be blown to smithereens by Dennis once he steamrolls through.

Dennis is a complete beast. He's yet to reach the first intermediate check and he's already caught the two riders who were out ahead of him: Dries Devenyns and, just now, on the brow of a small hill, Jhonatan Restrepo. And he's 20 seconds faster than Jonathan Castroviejo, who must have sneaked in their while we weren't looking. The Spaniard was 10 seconds quicker than Campenaerts - so already, the gaps between the specialists are fairly big.

Asgreen, meanwhile, comes home to set the best time at the finish: his effort of 39'07" is a whopping 1'09" quicker than Brandle. Good stuff from the Quick-Step youngster.

Unsurprisingly, it's the best time for Victor Campenaerts at the first check. The Belgian shaves 14 seconds off the times of Kasper Asgreen and Steve Cummings after 10km.

The favourite is on course! The Australian champion Rohan Dennis, who won the opening time trial in Malaga, is the latest rider to roll down the ramp. This next 35 minutes for him will be perfect practice for the world championships next month.