The Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise rider was the strongest in the hilltop finish in Izájar after the breakaway succeeded in holding off the peloton and fought for the stage honour between themselves. Rune Herregodts is also the first leader of the Vuelta a Andalucia.
A breakaway set off early in the day with Mark Christian (EOLO-Kometa), Ander Okamika (Burgos-BH), Stephen Bassett (Human Powered Health), Xabier Isasa (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Vojtěch Řepa (Equipo Kern Pharma), Álvaro Quadros (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA), Rune Herregodts and Lindsay de Vylder (Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise) marked the day's breakaway, attacking early on and getting a gap that summited at an impressive 14 minutes after the peloton tapered over the initial 14-kilometer climb.
The breakaway managed the gap very well and went on to fight for the finish. In the peloton the likes of Intermarché, BikeExchange and INEOS Grenadiers putting on a chase. It was too late though as the gap was too big to cut.
Rune Herregodts launched several moves inside the penultimate climb and within the group always someone was ready to answer. Sport Vlaanderen - Baloise tried to take advantage of their numerical advantage but couldn't do so, however with Řepa and Quadros dropped their chances of taking a win were higher.
Herregodts himself ended up being the strongest in the sharp hilltop finish, responding to the attack of Stephen Basset inside the final kilometer and then sprinting in the saddle to the win, with Basset and Okamika finishing in the podium.
The peloton arrived shortly after with Alessandro Covi gaining some seconds and arriving 31 seconds after, with the rest of the group at 37.
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