Rigoberto Uran was one of the big losers in the first mountain stage of the Vuelta a Espana as the Colombian could only manage 19th. He remains hopeful that he will be stronger when the race returns to the mountains on Sunday.

Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Rigoberto Uran remained with a very select group until inside 2km to go on the 167.1km 6th stage of La Vuelta a España on Thursday. However, with Movistar putting two on the front to keep the pace high, riders were shedding off the back with every meter of those last two kilometers.

Uran eventually lost contact, finishing 19th (+1'09") Movistar, meanwhile, continued to have the advantage even when the fireworks exploded. Alejandro Valverde won the stage over Chris Froome (Team Sky) and Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo).

The first move out of the elite group, which was down to just a half dozen riders or less, was by Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) with about 600 meters to go. He was eventually caught by Froome, Rodriguez, Contador, Valverde, and even Nairo Quintana (Movistar).

Rodriguez and Quintana were eventually dropped by the other three, and Valverde was able to take the stage.

Uran is now 14th in the GC (+1'18").

OPQS looks next to 169km Stage 7. The course is undulating with an uphill finale, but the finish is not on a categorized climb.

"It was a special climb with no corners, but a long straight road," Uran said. "I suffered a bit in the final, but we'll see in the next days what can happen. On Sunday there will be another test on an uphill finish."