Giant Shimano's John Degenkolb has won the fourth stage of the Vuelta a España.
A 164.7km stage from Mairena del Alcor to Córdoba.started with Francisco Javier Aramendia (Caja-Rural), Gert Joeaar (Cofidis), Sebastien Turgot (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Jimmy Engoulvent (Europcar) straight on the attack.
They were 4.05 clear after 19kms and 2.45 ahead with 93kms remaining as Turgot took the points at the intermediate sprint.
The peloton pushed and on the King Of The Mountains climb with 53kms left, they had caught the escapers.
Txurruka took the points on the climb and was caught by Engoulvent. The two worked together and were 44 seconds clear going into the final forty kilometres.
But seven kilometres later, they were caught by the Team Sky team who were doing plenty of work on the front.
Lampre launched an attack with 26.4kms left but British rider Adam Yates was in the wheel of Alejandro Valverde with Romain Sicard and Winner Ancona and they took over on the front.
Sicard punctured as the speeds ramped up to 85km/h. Yates and co were caught with 9kms left as the peloton headed for the finish in the town centre.
Under the flam rouge and Lotto had a rider on the front but Giant Shimano were up there with Dan Martin of Garmin-Sharp and John Degenkolb timed it right to win in 4.02.55 and take the ten second bonus ahead of Vincente Reynes and Michael Matthews, followed by Caruso and Dan Martin, Kolobnev, Mondory, Conti, Jungels and Aru.
Michael Matthews continues to lead by fifteen seconds from Valverde.
"I love the Vuelta and I am happy to be here," said Degenkolb. "Yesterday was too hard but today worked out and my team motivated me to win another stage of the Vuelta."