Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team was unable to make a breakaway that had more than 14 minutes on the peloton at one point during the stage, and eventually produced solo stage winner Antonio Piedra (Caja Rural) after he attacked with 12km to go in the 186.5km Stage 15 on Sunday.
Ruben Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) was 2nd and Lloyd Mondory (Ag2R - La Mondiale) was 3rd.
Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Red Jersey wearer Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha Team) attacked what was left of the peloton — about 40 riders or so — on the final climb of the day: Lagos de Covadonga, which is 13.5km in length, with an average gradient of 7%, and ramps of 15 percent. The three GC contenders finished together despite attacking each other repeatedly in the final kilometers. Alexander Quintana (Movistar) was also in the group assisting Valverde. Christopher Froome (Team Sky ProCycling) was caught way out of position when they went up the road, and lost time in the GC as a result.
Dario Cataldo of OPQS crashed near the front of the peloton earlier in the stage, but continued racing.