Genechten’s Norwegian team-mate Vegard Laengen had been looking to make an impact on the race for IAM Cycling, during the 158 kilometre stage from Maceda to Puebla de Sanabria, by featuring in a six-man breakaway.

The move was brought back with 43km left of racing, but Italy’s Dario Cataldo escaped just 13km later.

He was joined by Spain’s Luis Leon Sanchez and Luis Angel Mate, Italy's Gianluca Brambilla and Australia’s Simon Clarke.

The five men worked together to hold off the peloton in the closing kilometres, with Sanchez and Clarke pushing on ahead of the finish, as their breakaway companions suffered.

They would fail with their effort as they were caught inside the final 300 metres, with Genechten coming through to take the stage win.

His triumph could prove IAM Cycling’s last in a Grand Tour, with the team due to fold at the close of this year’s International Cycling Union (UCI) World Tour season.

Genechten faced less competition in the sprint than he might have expected, with several riders missing a corner and crashing ahead of the finishing straight, including Spain’s Alberto Contador.

Italy’s Daniele Bennati crossed the line in second and was followed by Spain’s Alejandro Valverde.

The result keeps Valverde second in the overall standings, with the Movistar rider lying 24 seconds behind Colombia’s Darwin Apatuma.

Britain’s Chris Froome is 32 seconds off the race lead as he chases a rare Tour de France and Vuelta a España double.

The Colombian duo of Nairo Quintana and Esteban Chaves are a further six seconds down.

Stage eight will see the riders tackle a 181km medium mountain stage from Villalpando to La Camperona.