LONDON (Dispatches) - Michael Woods claimed victory from the breakaway on stage seven of the Vuelta a Espana as Richard Carapaz retained the overall lead.
EF Pro Cycling’s Woods distanced a lead group of four other riders with 1km remaining to finish four seconds ahead of Omar Fraile and Alejandro Valverde.
Ineos Grenadiers’ Carapaz finished in the peloton, 56 seconds behind, on the 160km stage from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Villanueva de Valdegovia.
Britain’s Hugh Carthy remains second.
Woods’ 26-year-old team-mate Carthy is 18 seconds behind Carapaz, with Ireland’s Daniel Martin two seconds further back.
The riders twice ascended the 7.8km-long category one Puerto de Orduna climb - after 59km and again at 132km.
Valverde, at three minutes back in the general classification, was the best placed overall in an initial 36-strong breakaway, with Guillaume Martin and Nans Peters also joining a lively five-man race at the front in the closing stages.
Canadian Woods attacked on the final ascent of the Orduna and, after being caught by his pursuers, made his decisive move.