On a day when Movistar had been expected to steal the show, Hugh Carthy (Caja Rural) confirmed his huge climbing potential by claiming an impressive solo win in the tough mountaintop finish on the first stage of the Vuelta Asturias. Having dropped the Movistar stars earlier on the Alto El Acebo, he distanced his teammate Sergio Pardilla with 500m to go and put 22 seconds into the Spaniard in the final part of the climb to open his professional account and take the race lead. Pardilla and Garikoitz Bravo (Euskadi) completed the podium while Daniel Moreno was the best Movistar rider in sixth.

We have gathered a few reactions.

Victorious Hugh Carthy: We knew we had a strong team here

Caja Rural - Seguros RGA started out this year’s Vuelta a Asturias in the best possible way with Hugh Carthy winning the opening stage and taking the overall lead. Sergio Pardilla made it a double win for the team, as the Spanish climber finished second behind Carthy in the uphill finish on Alto del Acebo. Both riders had attacked earlier on the climb to drop their rivals but it wasn’t until reaching the last two kilometers that Carthy went clear. The 21 year old Brit then soloed away to take his first win in the green colors of Caja Rural - Seguros RGA.

Hugh Carthy said: “This has been a great day for us. We came here with a strong team, hoping to win this stage and we did it. We knew it was important to start the final climb in a good position and the team worked perfectly to set it up. First, Madrazo attacked to make a selection and later, Pardilla and I went aiming for the stage win. There are still two hard stages left but we have a strong and experienced team to defend the lead and make the race hard”.

Javi Moreno makes his bid for Giro selection on bad day for Movistar

For Movistar, the 152 km of the opening stage saw Imanol Erviti on the attack, vigilant in a group of fourteen riders who got an advantage of almost five minutes, and confirmed the good legs of Javi Moreno who was 7th. He is one of the eleven shortlisted for the Giro. Daniel Moreno was 6th and first of the  blue  on a day that has probably decided the overall. Tomorrow Juanjo Lobato targets the stage win in Pola de Lena after 187km that will start in Cangas del Narcea.