Isaac del Toro (UAE Team Emirates) gained the opening stage on the Vuelta Asturias and took the occasion’s first chief’s jersey.
Del Toro made a late-race assault and crossed the road 1:01 forward of runner-up and teammate Rafał Majka, whereas Eric Antonio Fagúndez (Burgos-BH) completed in third on the day.
Del Toro now leads the general classification by 1:05 over Majka and 1:10 forward of Fagúndez because the race continues on stage 2 on Saturday.
The opening stage at Vuelta Asturias was a demanding 180km from Cangas del Narcea to Pola de Lena.
A six-rider breakaway Francisco Muñoz (Team Polti Kometa), Oliver Rees (Sabgal-Anicolor), José María García and Asier Pablo Gonzalez (Illes Balears Arabay), Ibon Ruiz (Equipo Kern Pharma) and Victor Martínez (Sidi Ali-Unlock).
They gained a most of 5 minutes on the sector led by UAE Team Emirates, as and with 70km to go, they raced towards the fourth of 5 climbs throughout the stage, Alto Tenebreo.
Some 40 riders made up the principle area within the closing kilometres, with the breakaway caught at about 20km from the road.
A late-race transfer included José Manuel Díaz (Burgos-BH) and Gonzalo Serrano (Movistar), and whereas they gained 40 seconds, their efforts got here to an finish with 5 kilometres to go.
Del Torro made his successful transfer with a counter-attack and pushed his lead out to a minute as he crossed the road with a solo victory in Pola de Lena.
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