Arrieta takes home win

The 205km long stage looked ideal for an escape group and that's how it proved with an eight man group, José Vicente Garcia Acosta (Caisse d'Epargne), Vladimir Gusev (Discovery Channel), Dmitriy Fofonov (Credit Agricole), Pieter Mertens (Davitamon-Lotto), David Loosli (Lampre), José Luis Arrieta (AG2R Prevoyance), Lars Ytting Bak (CSC) and Aketza Pena (Euskaltel) forming after 50km.

They built their lead up over the three categorised climbs, the category two Alto del Parque Natural de Andujar after 75km and the third category ascents of the Alto de Sierra Madrona and Alto del Tamaral at 103 and 117km respectively.

Team CSC's Lars Ytting Bak attacked a number of times several kilometres from the finish, but could not open a significant gap on the rest of the group, and when Arrieta attacked inside the final kilometre, he had no answer.

Astana led the main group but there was no real urgency with Bak the highest on GC in 24th and over 40 minutes behind leader Alexandre Vinokourov.

The eight leaders built an advantage of 12 minutes with a disinterested peloton 45 minutes behind the slowest schedule.

Phonak's Aurelian Clerc eventually led the group over 11 minutes behind with Vinokourov and Alejandro Valverde safely in the pack.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long, long time," said Arrieta, whose usual role is as a team worker.

"I managed to get on the right wheel in the last kilometre, rested for a couple of seconds and then went all out for the finish," he said.