Fresh off La Vuelta a Espana's first rest day, Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team hoped to contest what was clearly coming down to a field sprint on the 190km Stage 10, from Ponteareas to Sanxenxo, on Tuesday.
The route featured just one categorized climb — Category 3 Alto de San Cosme, which was early in the stage (14.5km). While the stage was not pancake flat, the peloton easily maintained control of a two-man break and caught them with more than 32km to go.
In the final kilometers, Argos-Shimano and Orica-GreenEDGE took the front of a peloton setting such a high tempo, a small group of riders popped off the back. Argos-Shimano sprinter John Degenkolb took off very early in the final meters, but still held off those contesting the sprint for another stage win at La Vuelta. Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ BigMat) was 2nd, and Daniele Bennati (Radioshack-Nissan) was 3rd.
Gert Steegmans was the top finisher for OPQS, in 21st place. OPQS looks next to the 39.4km Stage 11 ITT tomorrow.