As expected, Amets Txurruka animated the action in the first stage of Volta a Catalunya yesterday, as he launched one of his trademark attacks at the 127 kilometer mark to join two escapees in persons of Romain Lemarchand (Cofidis) and Boris Vallee (Lotto-Belisol) and started his quest to become a king of the mountains in the Catalan world Tour race.

Davide Vigano and Angel Madrazo, finished respectively thirteenth and seventeenth, were the highest placed Caja Rural-RGA riders in the first stage of Volta a Catalunya decided in the bunch sprint with Luka Mezgec (Giant-Shimano) as an emphatic winner.

Txurruka, who finished the stage 115th in the same time as the winner, was pleased by his own disposition as well as performance of the whole Caja Rural team, claiming they have many cards to play in the coming stages of the Catalan event.

“[I left] good and have assessed the team positively. I tried to attack even though the coming stages are more suitable for us. I didn’t plan this move, but I saw that the escapees were close and I wanted to check whether any other riders were ready to animate things… it wasn’t that day, but we have to keep on trying,” Txurruka told after the Volta a Catalunya first stage, according to the Caja Rural official press release.