Etixx - Quick-Step rider Michal Kwiatkowski, who was 13th in the GC going into 155.5km Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco Stage 5 on Friday, tried a tactical maneuver on the rest of the peloton on Alto de Aia late in the race as his teammates David De La Cruz and Tony Martin had been up the road for a long day in an original 30-rider breakaway.

At first, the move looked like it may succeed. Martin waited for Kwiatkowski and did an outstanding job dragging the Polish rider in an attempt to put time into his fellow GC competitors. The gap was as high as 36 seconds. However, the gap fell to 15" with 3.8km to go on the Category 2 climb at the end of the race. Kwiatkowski was unable to maintain the gap from the peloton behind and was caught inside the last kilometer.

Three riders from the original breakaway were left out front to decide the stage. It was Mikel Landa (Astana) who attacked and went on to win solo. Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) was 2nd, and Thomas Danielson (Cannondale-Garmin) finished 3rd.

Kwiatkowski moved up to 11th in the GC, 42" down on leader Sergio Henao (Team Sky), after finishing 11th in the stage.

Etixx - Quick-Step looks next to the final Stage 6, which is an individual time trial, on Saturday. Though a bit shorter in distance, it is no doubt challenging and can play a role in the GC. There is a descent for the first 10.7km before ramping up at the Alto de Aia (3.5km, 8.71% average gradient). There is then a descent before a final climb of 1.5km, with the summit just a couple hundred meters from the line. There are ramps between 12 and 17 percent, with the 17 percent being the last portion of the climb before finally flattening out just prior to the line.