Katusha's Joaquim Rodriquez won the third stage of the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
A trip into the mountains was in store for the riders on this 162.9km stage from Banyoles to La Molina.
Talk of the stage being snowed off failed to materialise and the roads were clear as Belkin's Jack Bobridge took the first category climb of the day - the Alt De Coubet with the Australian, Michel Koch of Cannondale and Rudy Molard of Cofidis, Andrey Zeits of Astana, Koch, Kevin Réza of Europcar and Branislau Samoilau of Polsatt CCC, having a lead that was at one stage as much as ten minutes.
On the 1916m Alt De La Cruetta with 67kms to go, their lead was 6.30 ahead of a peloton with Team Sky on the front. Bobridge was first over to go into the lead of the King Of The Mountains competition.
Down into the bowl around La Molina and the six riders were only three minutes clear as the wind started to bite and the chill factor started to affect the riders, wgho were now starting to think about the two upcoming sprints
Cannondale's Michael Koch took the first sprint of the day and the second to go top of the sprint ranking before the riders went back up La Mollina which has gradients of 8%
With a gap of 1.14, Molard, Samoilau and Reza attacked, leaving the other escapers to their fate with just over ten kilometres remaining.
Molard and Samoilau were caught two kilometres later whilst Reza battled on with a 22 second lead.
Movistar were on the front of the peloton who were sixteen seconds behind the Europcar rider going into the final six kilometres.
A sigh from Kevin Reza and it was all over and the Movistar led peloton sped past him.
There was four kilometres left when Alberto Contador joined Nairo Quintana at the front of a strong group which also included Rigoberto Uran, Dan Martin and Chris Froome.
AG2R moved Carlos Betancur to the fore before the attacks started.
Jakob Fuglsang of Astana got the jump whilst everyone was marking each other and was away going into the final two kilometres. He was caught just before the flam rouge and Joaquim Rodriquez of Katusha took over.
Suddenly up came Chris Froome, who was ahead of Rodriquez, Contador and Quintana. Rodriquez attacked, got past Froome and shot away to win in a time 4.50.55. five seconds ahead of Contador. Quintana, Van Garderen and Froome, who finished thirteen seconds down, followed by Pozzovivo, Kelderman and Talansky.
Rodriquez now leads the race by five seconds from Contador.