Marcel Kittel won the seventh stage of the Vuelta a España this afternoon.
This 182.9km stage from Almadén to Talavera de la Reina saw atacks from the start.
Four riders in Mate, Houanard, Fouchard and Cabello getting clear. With Mate being the highest placed rider in the GC at 14.30 back on leader Sylvain Chavanel, they were allowed to get nine minutes clear.
That lead was down to five and a half minutes with 77kms to go.
So what was the stage finish going to bring? Well, race technical director Abraham Olano felt that a bunch sprint was expected today at Talavera de la Reina, where FDJ's Antony Roux had won two years ago, “This stage looks flat on paper but it’s never flat. It’s a real transition stage. It’s going to be a bunch sprint finish," Olano said. "The teams will be able to get organised on these wide roads. There are two small roundabouts at 300 metres before the line.”
Despite the slightly cooler temperatures, the pace of the race was slower than the last two stages.
The first sprint of the day came at La Nava de Ricomalillo with some 135kms gone and Cabello took the four points ahead of Hounard and Mate.
As the pace went up with 29kms to go, six riders crashed with two Vacansoleill riders on the ground, Nicholas Roche was able to avoid those on the ground including BMC's van Avermart.
Hounard took the second intermediate sprint at Alcaudete de la Jara after 160km as the peloton led by Bradley Wiggins closed in.
Fabian Cancellera was at the front with 2kms to go. Skil-Shimano took over as speeds reached 63km/h and in a bunch sprint, there was a massive crash which took down a great number of riders as Marcel Kittel got over the line first with Peter Sagan in second. Ian Stannard finished 12th.
Sylvain Chavanel keeps his leaders jersey.
Tomorrow's eighth stage is from Talavera de la Reina to San Lorenzo de El Escorial and is 183km long.
Pictures copyright of Tour Of Spain/Graham Watson