Ireland's Aqua Blue Sport made the Vuelta breakaway on a day when the field split to pieces. But having to ride so hard to bridge across to the escape made for a very challenging time out front for US champion Larry Warbasse (Photo: Karen M Edwards)

Aqua Blue Sport in Vuelta breakaway

Having already bagged a 3rd place with Adam Blythe and seen Michel Kreder go clear in the breakaway on stage 5, Aqua Blue Sport was again on the attack yesterday.

This time Tour de Suisse stage winner and US road champion Larry Warbasse was up the road at La Vuelta.

He was part of a very large escape that numbered over 30 at its maximum.

On the undulating 204.4km stage from Vila-Real to Sagunt only five from the escape would survive all day.

Tomasz Marczynski (Lotto Soudal) would claim the stage. Warbasse was among those reabsorbed by the fragmented main field.

He would eventually finish in 134th, some 15:03 down. But his eyes are fixed on opportunities later in the race.

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Michel Kreder during yesterday's long stage 6 at La Vuelta 2017 (Photo: Karen M Edwards)

Larry Warbasse initially missing the escape and having to ride very hard to bridge across made for a challenging day.

“The goal was to be in the breakaway today, it looked like a good stage for it,” he said of a day when the field split to pieces.

“A few of us were trying at the start. Unfortunately we missed it in the beginning,” Warbasse added of his Aqua Blue Sport team.

“The break went and we had no one in it so that was a problem. Then we came to the climb and I thought maybe we could try and bridge.

"As soon as I did that, three or four guys followed. We caught the breakaway at the top of the climb after going as hard as we could pretty much all the way.

“Then after that I was in a box the whole time. I gave it my best, but this was a hard day, at least I was out there.

“After that I didn’t have the legs for the rest of the day. When I realised that, I went back to the bunch and tried to save myself for the next few days.”