All eyes turn to an attacking MTN rider at the start in Benalmadena...
Podium.jpg
Luis Mas Bonet leads Pim Ligthart in an escape that is as yet unchallenged...
vueltaescapecaja
60-kilometres later, Johan Van Summeren is leading a Garmin chase that is fourteen minutes behind the escape..!
vueltagarmin
Ligthart and Mas Bonet are climbing the Alto de Zafarraya with their lead barely dented by Garmin...
vueltalotto
Andrew Talansky is doing his work at the back, collecting bottles for his teamates in front...
vueltagarminfernandez
Vasil Kiryienka has a full compliment of ten cold bottles on-board...
vueltasky
John Degenkolb is loading up with ten sets of ice-cubes...
Greg Henderson empties an entire bottle of water over his hot head...
vueltalottoheat
Carlos Betancur is in trouble on the first big climb, he'll lose over nineteen minutes today..!
Dan Martin looks cool enough as he contemplates the finale to come...
vueltagarmindrinkheat
Michael Andersen hands a bottle and a banana to Alberto Contador...
Peter Sagan is loading up a few bottles as well, but only for himself...
Michael Matthews is suffering like everyone else today, but it's a virtual day off for the sprinter...
vueltagreen edge
The peloton is halfway up the Alto de Zafarraya and still about twelve minutes behind the escape...
vueltasceneryandalucia
Van Summeren is working his hardest for Garmin, his 2015 contract is up for renewal..!
Mas Bonet and Ligthart head for the flatter roads towards La Zubia with their lead still a strong ten-minutes...
The peloton climbs through the Andalusian desert in temperatures back up to 40-degrees C...
Orica-Green Edge cannot resist attacking, they're chasing the escape and also placing Esteban Chaves near the front...
vueltadocker
Ligthart launches himself up the five-kilometre final ascent, but he's about to be gobbled up...
Alberto Losada leads the way up to La Zubia...
vueltakatusha
George Bennett makes a surprise attack, but he cannot stay away...
vueltacannondale
Talansky is now setting the pace for teamate Martin, but it will all come to nothing...
Alejandro Valverde leads Quintana and Froome as the final selection takes place with two-kilometres to go...
vueltamovistar
Valverde apears to be setting the brutal pace for Quintana, but things aren't always what they seem to be...
Alejandro Valverde wins stage six after matching an attack from Joaquin Rodriguez, with Froome and Contador right behind...
Alejandro Valverde is the new race-leader of the Vuelta..!