Despite a crash on yesterday’s stage which involved a large portion of the peloton, there were no overnight withdrawals as 182 riders took the start line in Requena.

Cort Nielsen, riding for EF Education Nippo, was part of a five strong breakaway which at one stage had an advantage over the main field of seven minutes.

As the breakaway riders fell away, Cort Nielsen was the last of the group standing, and despite the best efforts of Roglič, riding for Team Jumbo-Visma, he could not catch the Danish rider.

The victory was a fourth stage win in the race for Cort Nielsen, who claimed two in the 2016 edition and also won stage 16 last year.

Roglič was second on the stage on the same time as Cort Nielsen, with Italy’s Andrea Bagioli, riding for Deceuninck-Quick-Step, two seconds behind.

France’s Kenny Elissonde, riding for Trek-Segafredo started the day in possession of La Roja, the leader’s red jersey, and despite being dropped from the peloton with around 35km to go, managing to rejoin the main group after help from his team mates.

Elissonde was dropped on the concluding climb, with Roglič’s second place on the stage enough for him to take the leader’s jersey by 25 seconds from Spain’s Enric Mas, of Movistar.

Compatriot and fellow Movistar rider Miguel Angel Lopez is third on the stage at 36 seconds behind.

Tomorrow’s seventh stage is set to be another summit finish on top of the Balcón de Alicante, with the potential for the general classification to be shaken up once again.

The climax of the stage will be played out without spectators present, with organisers saying the decision to close the finish of the stage to the public was because of the dryness of the area and avoid any risk of fire.