Movistar's Alejandro Valverde defended his leader's jersey when he won the first stage of the 60th Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol.
After the opening prologue in Almeria, it was up the coast to Malaga for the start of the first stage from Vélez Malaga to Jaén on a day of six categorised climbs.
Inside the opening ten kilometres of this 186km race, eleven riders in Amets Txurruka (Euskadi), Jaco Venter (MTN-Qhubeka), Jesus Ezquerra (ActiveJet), Stephane Poulhies (Cofidis), Tom Van Asbroeck (Topsport Vlaanderen), Francisco Javier Aramendia (Caja Rural), Alexis Guerin (ETIXX), Lennard Hofstede (Rabobank), David Lozano (Novo Nordisk), Nico Sijmens (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) had broken away and taken a lead of 1.30.
With no real work from the peloton and race leader Alejandro Valverde of Movistar, that lead went out to six minutes after seventy kilometres with a further forty five seconds added twenty five kilometres later.
The gap dropped slightly to around five minutes with 74kms to go as the riders made their way through the olive groves.
Tom Van Asbroeck (Topsport Vlaanderen) took the points on the climb with 44kms to go and that was the signal for the break to split.
Alexis Guerin broke on his own with a lead of 2.49 over the peloton, who had with 33kms to go.
He was caught and Van Asbroeck was able to take the full quota of points on the next climb, who was in the next move with Lukasz Owsiain, Javier Aramendia and Jaco Venter.
The quartet were 49 seconds clear with twelve kilometres to go. Lukasz Oswain spotted that they were in danger of being caught so he tried an escape.
Movistar were having none of it and took over on the front for the final nine and a half kilometres.
Into the outskirts of Jaen and Team Sky with Geraint Thomas and Sir Bradley Wiggins were on the front, until Wiggins swung off and let Peter Kennaugh take over.
The final climb of the day was a third category climb. At speeds of 23kms, Kennaugh, Thomas and Richie Porte led the riders up the front.
The castle at Jaen was coming into view as Thomas was on the front whilst behind him, riders dropped back.
There was only seven riders left with Thomas and then six when Scarponi of Astana dropped off.
Thomas led under the Flam Rouge but with 500ms to go, Jon Izagirre was first to the hairpin bend and the sprint was on. Race leader Alejandro Valverde got to the fore and took the win in 5.08.57 for the second day in succession ahead of Bauke Mollema of Belkin, David Rebellin and Richie Porte.
Valverde, who has a 19 second lead over Porte and 21 seconds over Luis Leon Sanchez, said to Europort: "It was a really hard day. The team worked really well together. All my team mates were brilliant. You are always worried when Sky come to the front but I was happy that my team mates helped me to win. Tomorrow will be a difficult stage and there will be changes to the GC but i will try to win again."