Vuelta a Asturias (st. 1)

Spaniard within top favourites in opening stage in Asturias, won by Txurruka; sits just 14 seconds behind race leader before traditional Subida al Naranco

Amets Txurruka (CJR) is the first leader of the 2013 Vuelta a Asturias after a 156-kilometer stage between Oviedo and Pola de Lena full of changes where Movistar Team fought to offer their very best. The squad directed by José Luis Jaimerena took responsibility into the bunch during the second part of the day to bring back the five-man breakaway that led the convoy through a demanding parcours, with four categorized climbs -La Cobertoria, Tenebredo, Cuchu Puercu and the small Carabanzo (Cat. 2), just 7k from the finishing line-. The ascent, where Jesús Herrada and Rubén Plaza made an impressive job to control the moves, saw an 11-rider move going away, with Javi Moreno, overall winner of the race in 2011, always keeping the front.

With five kilometers from the end, Txurruka launched an attack that led him into the very finish, while the group, just four seconds behind, saw Moreno taking 7th, the same position he holds in the GC, only 14 seconds off the blue jersey before the second, decisive stage in the Asturian race: the Subida al Naranco, a 157-kilometer trek starting at Bueño (Ribera de Arriba) and including the ascents of Cordal (Cat. 2), San Tirso (Cat. 3), La Gargantada (Cat. 2), Muño-Munco (Cat. 3) and El Violeo (Cat. 2).