The French FDJ rider Arnaud Courteille was one of today’s escappes. Having almost been caught, he attacked and tried to go to the finish line on his own. However, it was an unfair battle and moments later he was caught by none the peloton led by Tony Martin.

After the stage he explained the team's tactics. 

“We don’t have a sprinter in the team, so we race aggressively in this kind of stage. Yesterday it was Jussi Veikkanen, today it was me. But it’s been hard to launch and keep the breakaway alive because we had a head wind during the first 30 or 40 kilometres. Fortunately, we [the breakaway riders] talked for staying together. I’ve done my best for staying away as much as possible and resist in the last ten kilometres. But I don’t have big thighs like Tony Martin who I saw leading the bunch behind me on his huge gear. However, it’s beautiful to race at the front in the Vuelta. It was hard though. I’ll have to recover before I’ll try my luck again but on a more mountainous terrain with more chances to succeed.”