“I was 30 watts under what I expected, but almost two minutes faster” – Julius Johansen stunned by first pro win in Gran Camino time trial

Julius Johansen turned the opening stage of Gran Camiño 2026 on its head with a late, decisive ride in the A Coruna time trial, claiming his first professional victory and the race lead in the process.

On a day where the benchmark time shifted repeatedly, the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider delivered the fastest performance of all, stopping the clock at 17:43 to take a clear win in the 15km test.

“I am very, very happy. It’s my first professional victory. I’m extremely proud,” Johansen said afterwards. “It was a very tough day. There was some wind out there. There is a strong field here. I didn’t know how it would go.”

For much of the afternoon, the stage had been defined by incremental gains. Abel Balderstone set the first major reference before Jørgen Nordhagen moved the goalposts, only for Nelson Oliveira and Rafael Reis to take control in a tight battle at the top.

Johansen, the final starter on the road, changed everything. “My fiancée was probably the only one who believed I could win. I was hoping for a top five, but to stand here with the victory is incredible,” he said. “I had a live tracker and saw that he set the best time just before I was due to start. I know Rafael well from having been his team-mate, and I know how strong he is, but I also knew there were strong riders on the course. It was going to be difficult.”

Despite that, the Dane was fastest through the intermediate checkpoints and continued to extend his advantage, eventually winning by more than 15 seconds over Reis, with Oliveira just behind.

Johansen’s performance was made even more surprising by his own feedback during the effort, with the Dane revealing that his data suggested a far less impressive ride. “I think my power meter wasn’t calibrated correctly, because I had no power,” he explained. “I was 30 watts under what I expected, but I was almost two minutes faster than the expected time.”

That left him unsure of his chances even after crossing the line. “I had no idea about my time, and whether I would have the best time or be in the top five or top ten. I couldn’t believe it when they told me I had won. It’s incredible.”

He added: “I am very proud, and it’s nice to beat Rafael.”

For Johansen, the result marks a breakthrough moment in his career, turning pre-stage uncertainty into a first professional victory and the race lead at O Gran Camiño after a ride that exceeded even his own expectations.