Pablo Urtasun ended Euskaltel-Euskadi’s 2013 winless streak when won a sprint finish to the line at the end of the 195 km opening stage of the Vuelta Castilla y Leon, fending off Francesco Lasca of Caja Rural and Enrique Sanz of Movistar for a team and personal first win of the season.

The stage looked set to be won by one of the members of a seven-man breakaway group - comprising Kevin De Mesmaeker (Team Novo Nordisk), Pavel Kochetkov (RusVelo), César Fonte (Efapel-Glassdrive), Luis Mas (Burgos BH-Castilla y Leon), Dalivier Ospina (Colombia), Igor Merino (Euskadi) and Robert Sweeting (5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda) - who built a ten-minute lead at one point during the stage.

But Movistar led the peloton's efforts to bridge the gap, and the group was caught with 6 km to go, leaving the way clear for the sprint finish.

The three-day race continues on Saturday with a 164 km stage from Urena to Palencia.

Stage one results:

1. Pablo Urtasun, Euskaltel Euskadi

2. Francesco Lasca, Caja Rural

3. Enrique Sanz, Movistar Team

4. Jose J. Rojas, Movistar Team

5. Carlos Barbero, Euskaltel Euskadi

6. Juan Jose Lobato, Euskaltel Euskadi

7. Jérémie Galland, Sojasun

8. Wilson A. Marentes, Colombia

9. Javier Moreno, Movistar Team

10. Andre Cardoso, Caja Rural