Despite a hilly 193 kilometre route from Los Corrales de Buelna to Bilbao, the main favourites for the general classification enjoyed a rare day off from their battle for the red jersey.

The former race leader Darwin Atapuma continued to influence the race, with the Colombian forming part of a seven man breakaway group on the first category Puerto de Alisas climb, located at 49km into the stage.

Italy’s Gianluca Brambilla, South Africa’s Louis Meintjes and the French pairing of Kenny Elissonde and Romain Hardy were among those to feature in the group, along with Britain’s Peter Kennaugh and Spain’s David Lopez.

Their efforts began to tail off as the race progressed, with the seven men having all been brought back into the peloton with 18km left to the finish.

Belgium’s Dries Devenyns opted to defy the main field by staging a solo breakaway attempt when ascending the Alto de Vivero.

He would be foiled in the final two kilometres, ending narrowly shy of a stage win for the second time in the race, having also gone close on stage nine of the International Cycling Union (UCI) World Tour event.

His compatriot Keukeleire would instead be left to toast the victory, as he pulled away in a sprint finish to triumph in a time of 4hr, 31min and 43sec.

Keukeleire was followed across the line by France’s Maxime Bouet and Italy’s Fabio Felline, who were both awarded the same time as the victor.

Colombia’s Nairo Quintana remains in the overall race lead, with the Movistar rider enjoying a 57 second cushion to Britain’s Tour de France winner Chris Froome.

Quintana’s Spanish team-mate Alejandro Valverde is third at 1:05 down, while another Colombian, Esteban Chaves, is 2:34 down in fourth.

Tomorrow will see the peloton tackle a 213km hilly route from Bilbao to Urdax-Dantxarinea.