Urtasun breaks Euskaltel duck

Pablo Urtasun finally got Euskaltel's season up and running on Friday by winning the Vuelta a Castilla y León opener in Valladolid.

The 33-year-old, second last weekend in the Klasika Primavera, bested Caja Rural's Francesco Lasca and Movistar's Enrique Sanz at the end of the 194,8km stage one.

A seven-man break, including young Basque Igor Merino of Equipo Euskadi, had animated the day's racing by jumping clear inside the first 10 clicks and staying away until only six were left to ride. Euskaltel, armed with speedy finishers Urtasun, Jon Aberasturi and Juan José Lobato, drove the pace at the head of the pack with Movistar and Caja Rural in the closing stages, and were duly rewarded when Urtasun proved the strongest to claim his seventh professional victory.

JJ Lobato expertly led out Urtasun on the slight rise to the line, giving the latter plenty of time to savour his win.

Watch how it unfolded below:



Results (full results here):

• 1, Pablo Urtasun, 4:31:28
• 5, Carlos Barbero (Euskadi), s.t.
• 6, Juan José Lobato, s.t.
• 27, Gorka Verdugo, s.t.
• 33, Jorge Azanza, s.t.
• 44, Mikel Nieve, s.t.
• 48, Aritz Bagües (Euskadi), s.t.
• 56, Mikel Iturria (Euskadi), 0:28
• 69, Haritz Orbe (Euskadi), 1:46
• 70, Robert Vrecer, s.t.
• 73, Ricardo Mestre, 2:49
• 80, Unai Iparraguirre (Euskadi), 4:07
• 103, Igor Merino (Euskadi), 6:06
• 119, Mikel Bizkarra (Euskadi), 13:27
• 120, Jon Larrinaga (Euskadi), s.t.
• 123, Jon Aberasturi, s.t.

Photo: Euskaltel Euskadi