The demanding 11^th stage from Mombuey to Rebeira Sacra saw the riders travel 207.8 kilometres, the longest of this year’s Grand Tour event, and it produced long periods of hectic and intense racing.

After 105km, a group of 19 riders with Thibaut Pinot, of Groupama-FDJ, managed to get away from the main peloton, with De Marchi, riding for BMC Racing Team, among them.

They quickly opened a gap of 4min 25 sec before the Movistar Team reacted as the race entered the last 90km.

Bauke Mollema went for the solo move 48km away from the finish line but he was reeled in for the last 35km.

De Marchi and Jhonatan Restrepo, riding for Katusha Alpecin, made the most of the final climb, opening a gap of 30 seconds on the rest of the attackers by the time they reached the summit at 190km.

The gap to the main peloton was still up to three minutes.

De Marchi eventually dropped Restrepo with 3.5km to go, in the final uphill section and under heavy rain, and soloed away to victory.

De Marchi finished in 4hr 52min 38sec, with Restrepo at 28 seconds, and Franco Pellizotti of Bahrain-Merida at 59sec.

Yates, riding for Mitchelton-Scott, maintained his one second lead over home rider Alejandro Valverde of Movistar Team, and Valverde’s team-mate Nairo Quintana is 14 seconds off the lead.

The 181.1km 12th stage tomorrow will see the athletes travel from Mondoñedo to Faro de Estaca de Bares.