Magnus Sheffield brought the INEOS Grenadiers home on stage 12 after a day for the break at the Vuelta a Espana.
Sheffield and Michal Kwiatkowski were part of a 50 rider group which fouth hard to escape the bunch, as Egan Bernal and the general classification contenders kept their power dry.
The duo worked well in a lead group that amassed an unassailable lead, ensuring the break would decide the stage and Bernal & Co. would conserve energy ahead of Friday’s test on L’Angliru summit finish.
Sheffield managed to join a smaller splinter group that attacked the rest of the break, but he was pulled back on the category one Collada de Brenes climb and finished in a chase group behind stage winner Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).