A long stage with an uphill finish was install for the riders minus Team Sky's Peter Kennaugh and Ian Stannard who did not start, as they set out from Villena to Xorret del Cati.
Cofidis' David Moncoutie was involved in a five man break along Johann Tschopp (Bbox-Bouygues Telecom) and they were quickly joined by José Luis Arrieta (Ag2r), Serafin Martinez (Xacobeo Galicia) and Assan Bazayev (Astana) and they got away 48km into the 181km stage.
As this group posed no real threat to the peleton, they were allowed to stay four minutes away until the foot of the final climb.
With Mark Cavendish and Red Jersey leader Phillippe Gilbert amongst the fallers, there was a sense that a change in the leader could be in the offing.
David Moncoutie also sensed that a stage win on the climb at Xorret Del Cati was possible and he broke away to win the stage in a time of 5hr, 14 mins and 32 seconds, 54 seconds ahead of Spain's Serafin Martinez who finished with Tschopp and Arrieta.
Ireland's Nicholas Roche came in 15th and with Phillippe Gilbert some 3 minutes and thirty four seconds down, it is Igor Anton who now takes the leaders jersey.