Ethiopia's Merga started the men’s nine kilometre race as the favourite after winning the event in Burgos five times in a row.

The race opened cautiously but after the opening lap the field was split to around 16 athletes at the front.

After 15 minutes of running, the first serious move came from Uganda's Timothy Toroitich, who injected a sense of urgency into proceedings.

By the bell, reached in 19min 26sec, Ayalew powered his way to the front in an attempt to drop more of his rivals.

Toroitich managed to stay with him, while Merga trailed close behind.

Much to the delight of the crowd, Merga managed to re-join the leading duo during the final kilometre, but shortly afterwards Toroitich once again increased his pace, leaving Merga trailing in his wake and overtaking Ayalew.

Toroitich was still a few metres clear of Ayalew with 200 metres to go, but the 23-year-old never surrendered and he pipped the Ugandan in the final metre.

The finish was so tightly contested that both athletes were given the same time, 25:05.

The defeated former champion Merga finished seven seconds behind in 25:12 to win bronze.

It was the second year in a row in which Toroitich had to settle for the runners-up spot, while Ayalew and Merga switched places after finishing third and first respectively last year.

"It’s wonderful to be able to beat one of the world’s best cross country specialists like Imane Merga who is an idol here," said Ayalew.

"Winning has been really hard but fortunately I found the extra energy I needed in the closing stages and could do it."

Senbere Teferi, the world silver medallist at 5,000 metres and cross-country, took a commanding win in the women’s race.

Held prior to the men’s race, the women’s eight kilometre event was dominated by the top four African runners who led from the start - the Ethiopian pair of Teferi and Belaynesh Oljira plus the Kenyan duo of Agnes Jebet Tirop and Alice Aprot.

Tirop, the world cross country champion, made the most of the early pace alongside Aprot while the Ethiopian pair ran beside them.

Just before the athletes embarked on the final lap, defending champion Oljira began to fade as Teferi moved to the front for the first time.

Tirop and Aprot followed her for some 300m, but with one kilometre remaining, Teferi broke away with unexpected ease.

Teferi stopped the clock at 24:48 to finish four seconds ahead of Tirop, while Aprot finished another six seconds adrift.

"I knew my form was fine but I was not sure to beat three top athletes like Tirop, Aprot and Oljira," said the 21-year-old Teferi.

Attention now turns to the second leg of the series which is scheduled to be held in another Spanish venue, Alcobendas, on November 27.