The 35-year-old is a former world champion and Olympic silver medallist in the team pursuit on the track and used all of that speed to power clear of the peloton in the closing kilometre of an event that is part of the International Cycling Union WorldTour. 

Riding for Dimension Data, Cummings closed down another breakaway attempt before powering clear in a clever solo burst.

He crossed the line first in five hours 01min 57sec as his rivals closed on him from behind.

Australia's Orica-GreenEdge rider Simon Gerrans finished second with Italy's Fabio Felline, riding for Trek-Segafredo, third.

All the leading riders were awarded the same time at the end of the rolling 193.5 kilometres stage from Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Cummings' late burst followed similar breakaway successes to win stage 14 of the 2015 Tour de France and stage four of the 2016 Tirreno-Adriatico. 

Spain's Team Sky rider Mikel Landa remains in the overall lead of the event - also known as the Tour of the Basque Country - following his stage two victory yesterday.

The Netherlands' LottoNL-Jumbo rider Wilco Keiderman lies second, one second behind, with Landa's Colombian team-mate Sergio Henao third a further four seconds back.

Pre-race favourites Alberto Contador of Spain, riding for Tinkoff, and Colombian Movistar rider Nairo Quintana, lie in fifth and eighth place respectively.

Tomorrow will consist of a 165kg medium mountain stage from Lesaka to Orio.