Inigo Landaluze looks thirsty at the front of today

It

Gianni Meersen and Marc De Maar are doing their best to keep the escape at a nice ten minute lead...

The peloton starts climbing on the approach to Andorra - but the gap is still ten minutes...

Cofidis are starting to look a bit jaded now - when is Astana coming through to help them.?!

Astana, with Thomas Vaitkus, have taken over the chasing as the Vuelta enters Andorra...

Robert Gesink looks a bit serious as the peloton breaks up at the foot of the main climb...

Rubiera is now doing the high-level work for Astana - the escape is about seven minutes ahead...

Sylvain Chavanel is looking reasonably comfortable alongside Leipheimer and Contador...

The escape has found Alessandro Ballan out in front as the second ascent of La Rabassa begins - he has a formidable lead of five minutes..!

David Garcia leads Egoi Martinez and Patrice Halgand in a counter-attack...

Another move sees David Arroyo riding away with Mauricio Ardila...

Andreas Kloden chases these attacks down for Astana - the German looks strong!

Ezequiel Mosquera makes the one move that succeeds - but he will finish 2

Alessandro Ballan takes a remarkable win on the La Rabassa summit - not bad for a one-day Classics

Sylvain Chavanel crosses the line looking shattered - he has lost the race-lead..!

Alessandro Ballan had enough time in hand to take over the race-lead...