Cummings holds on to win in Pais Vasco

With the stage finishing in Lesaka, Cummings made his move with around 600 metres to go and, despite the peloton chasing him hard, crossed the line ahead of Simon Gerrans.

The Dimension Data rider's victory mirrored his triumph on stage four of the Tirreno-Adriatico last month while it made up for a similar move falling just short on stage one this week.

With barley any flat terrain, a line-up packed with some of the best cyclists in the world and variable weather, the Vuelta al Pais Vasco is one of the tougher races on the calendar – leaving the 35-year-old ecstatic to find success.

"It was a really important win," said Cummings. "This race means a lot to the people here, because it's so difficult. It's great to win here because the level's so high.

"There are no easy days here, every day is difficult. You talk about it in the peloton, everybody has sore legs, it's hard terrain, hard weather, it doesn't get much harder.

"I can't really move on the climb because I haven't got the legs so I'm just hanging and from that moment to the final you're always looking for an opportunity, a slowing or a rise.

"Sometimes it comes, sometimes it doesn't, but it's always worth a little try, otherwise you sit there and get twentieth."

Sportsbeat 2016