This was a flat stage from Valladolid to Salamanca and saw a breakaway at kilometre zero.
Dominik Roels, Alberto Benitez, Juan Javier Estrada, Jose Toribio, Pablo Urtasun, Alexandre Pichot, Daniele Pietropolli and Olivier Kaisen all went off early and stayed away on this flat stage on a pleasant day until 12km from the end of the 148.9km stage.
HTC Colombia were at the front of peleton trying to get Mark Cavendish, resplendent in his points leaders green jersey, in a position to take the victory.
With 1.5kms to go, Carlos Barredo was up the front followed by Matt Goss and Mark Cavendish (pictured below).
Goss found the gap and Cavendish timed his right to beat off JJ Haedo and take his third victory in this race in a time of 3hr, 27:11.
"Third for me, fifth for the team. I say this every time it is my team of eight guys who put me over the line first," said Cavendish to Eurosport after the stage.
"It was a technical finish but Peter Velits (3rd in GC), put in a kilometre in the wind. It was hard to figure out to what gear to use but 180m out with Matt Goss working harder than he should, I went and I had the strength to win for my team."
Manuel Cardoso was third with Tyler Farrar fourth.
Vincenzo Nibali of Liquigas keeps his leaders red jersey for tomorrow's stage from Piedrahita to Toledo which at 231km long is the longest in the race.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service.