Australian Simon Clarke won the fourth stage of the Vuelta a Espana this afternoon.
Stage four continued in the Basque Country with a 160km stage from Baracaldo to the ski station at Estación de Valdezcaray in the wine-producing centre of Rioja. .
Jesus Rosendo Prado (Andulicia), Tony Martin (Omega Pharma Quick Step), Simon Clarke (GreenEdge), Luis Angel Mate (Cofidis) and Assan Bazeyev (Astana) attacked and broke 5.23 clear as David Boucher abandoned.
The gap to Alejandro Valverde's led peloton went out to twelve minutes with 68kms to go on another baking hot day.
With 25kms, there was a crash which took down a number of Movistar riders including the race leader.
Chris Froome had attacked and his group of riders were 43 seconds ahead of Valverde's group.
Clarke and Martin (pictured below) were out in front with Froome ,Contador and Roche some 2.14 behind them coming up to the six to go mark on the final climb of the day.
With a kilometre to go, Martin and Clarke started to play games and it was Simon Clarke who won in a time of 4.30.27 after over-taking the German with 100ms to go.
Roche was 5th with Froome 15th.
Joaquin Rodriquez leads the race by a second from Froome.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM