Russian rider Vladimir Efimkin of the French team Caisse d’Epargne was among the group of 35 riders who stayed out on a long escape at break neck speed almost all day. Just after the leading group hit the foot of the last climb of the day, Lagos de Covodonga, French rider Sylvain Chavanel of the Cofidis team attacked. Efimkin went with him.

The tour cameras were focused on Spanish rider Carlos Sastre and his CSC teammates, Christian Vande Velde (USA) and Chris Sørensen, as they and the others in their chase group that attacked the Pelaton at the foot of the climb beginning about 2 and one half minutes behind the leaders. As a result, no one saw Efimkin pass Chavanel, but he did.

Efimkin rode strong all the way up the face, while most of the excitement took place in the chasing group behind. The time gap went down to about 1′32″ at one point, but the gap never shrunk to less than a full kilometer.

Efimkin now wears the leader’s jersey followed by Denis Menchov (Rabobank) and Sastre in third place.