The oldest man in the Vuelta a España - Christian Horner won the third stage with victory at the end of 172.5km stage from Vigo to Mirador de Lobeira and takes over the leader's red jersey.
Five riders in Luca Dodi (Lampre Merida), Vicente Reynes (Lotto), Fabricio Ferrari (Caja Rural), Cyril Bessy (Cofidis) and Pablo Urtasun (Euskaltel) got away and were 4.25 clear going into the final 100kms.
Three minutes had been shaved off that time by the peloton lead by race leader Vincenzo Nibali's Astana team.
With 62.1kms left, there was a crash with three Team Sky riders including Henao going down with a couple of Caja Rural riders and one Garmin Sharp and one FDJ rider, after a touch of wheels at the rear of the peloton.
Pablo Urtasun took the four points for winning the sprint at Escusa. The riders headed towards the coast on another glorious day but with 42.9kms left, there was a massive crash on a tight left hand turn which delayed the peloton. Quite a few riders including Orica GreenEdge's Simon Gerrans amongst the fifteen or so riders who hit the deck.
Movistar attacked and the escapers time at the front was over as the peloton, which was strung out, did their best to avoid unmarked bollards on the Pont de L'Ile d'Arousa with Fabian Cancellera amongst those calling for speeds to be reduced. One who didnt was Ferrari and he lay looking hurt as the peloton went past him.
With 25kms to go, there were three main groups on the road. The groups had joined together at speeds of 60km/h as the final climb of the Mirador de Lobeira with a maximum gradient of eight percent started.
Nicholas Roche who won the second stage was well placed but with 2.8kms, Juan Antonio Flecha attacked , followed and passed by Italian champions Ivan Santaromita of BMC, who opened up a lead of seven seconds.
Under the flam rouge, Christian Horner in one his last races before his Radio Shack contract ends, went after the BMC rider and flew passed him.
Horner was not to be caught and he won in a time of 4.30.18, two seconds ahead of Alejandro Valverde of Movistar, Joaquim Rodriguez of Katusha, Rigoberto Uran of Sky Procycling and Ireland's Danny Martin of Garmin Sharp.
Nicholas Roche finished ninth
Horner who now leads the race said to La Vuelta.com about his win: "It’s a big emotion of course. I can say that I’ve waited for that moment for a long time. My goal was to wear the red jersey. I thought the team time trial could take me there. I had it in mind before the start of today’s stage. It’s a dream come true.
"Everyone was attacking from the bottom to the top of the climb, and still, some riders left a gap and I just decided to put my head down and go full gas till the line. How many times had someone worn a leader’s jersey in a Grand Tour at 42 and won a stage at the Vuelta?"
Picture Copyright: Unipublic/Graham Watson