Alejandro Valverde came out on top after an enthralling finish to the third stage of the Vuelta a Espana.
The Movistar rider inched out Katusha's Joaquim Rodriguez on the line after four riders went clear in the final two kilometres of the Alto de Arrate.
There was a long break involving the likes of Philippe Gilbert (BMC) that was given plenty of rope, but was caught just before the start of the final 7km climb which provided plenty of action.
The explosion was started by Team Sky and Saxo Bank-Tinkoff and it was Alberto Contador, on his return to Grand Tour action after a doping ban, who produced a series of stinging attacks.
Only Valverde, Rodriguez and Team Sky's Chris Froome were able to match him - the British rider having to chase back on after repeatedly losing ground.
The climb flattened out towards the top, with the quartet only a few seconds ahead, but the pace continued all the way to the final corner where the leading two finishers kicked again.
Rodriguez appeared to have the race in his grasp but Valverde came up his inside and passed right on the line to take the stage and ensure his place as race leader with Movistar team-mate Jonathan Castroviejo having lost touch on the early slopes.
Froome, who dug deep through some very testing kilometres, beat Contador for third but all four leaders were given the same time as the rest of the original front group came in six seconds later.
Those results, saw Valverde take control of the leader’s red jersey and open up an 18-second advantage over his Movistar team-mate Benat Intxausti.
Rodriguez sits one second further back in third, with Froome at 20 seconds in fourth place overall, four seconds up on Contador.
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