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David Garcia Dapena won stage 15 of the Vuelta a Espana after taking part in a lengthy break-away to earn his first-ever Grand Tour stage victory.

The 30-year-old Spaniard triumphed in the undulating 202 kilometre trip from Cudillero to Ponferrada after attacking three escape companions in the final three kilometres.

"I was convinced this could be my day although it was extremely tough to get in the break early on," Garcia Dapena said afterwards.

"I had to chase for 20 kilometres before I could get in the move. After that, I felt sure of my chances."

The victorious Xacobeo-Galicia rider, who triumphed in the Tour of Turkey earlier this year, said he had fulfilled all his expectations for the season.

"I wanted to take a stage race, and that happened in Turkey," he added. "Then my other dream was a stage of the Vuelta, and now that's happened too."

Belgian Nick Nuyens (Cofidis) was second at 17 seconds off pace and Spain's Xabier Zandio (Quick Step) finished third in the same time.

Italian Paolo Tiralongo (Lampre), Spaniard Mikel Astarloza (Euskaltel), and another Spaniard David Arroyo (Caisse d'Epargne) were fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively at just over 33 seconds behind the stage winner.

Alberto Contador of Spain comfortably retained his overall lead, but Garcia Dapena moved into 13th overall with the biggest win of his 10-year career.

A 15-man break-away, not including Tiralongo or Garcia Dapena, attacked 37 kilometres into Monday's stage.

The two men rejoined the escapees soon after, and the group built a 10-minute lead over the peloton on the day's first climb, the category one Puerto de Somiedo.

With Contador's Astana taking an easy day in the saddle after back-to-back wins from the Giro d'Italia champion and 2007 Tour de France victor, the escape group were allowed to build a gap of more than 16 minutes over the course of two more categorised climbs.

Spain's José Luis Arrieta (AG2R) attacked on the category three Alto de Ocero with 45 kilometres left to ride, but he was reined back in by the aggressive efforts of Zandio and Heinrich Haussler.

Garate tried to steal the stage in the final 15 kilometres, making his move on the uncategorised, but gruelling, Lombillo ascent.

The Quick Step rider was quickly caught by Nuyens and another Belgian Philippe Gilbert, before Garcia Dapena and Arroyo countered with 10 kilometres left to ride as the rest of the escape was decimated on the short uphill march that reached gradients as high as 15 percent.

Out of the melee came Garcia Dapena, Arroyo, Zandio and Nuyens, with Tiralongo and Astarloza giving chase.

The three leading Spaniards and the Belgian then scrapped for position in the final 10 kilometres before Garcia Dapena launched the decisive attack with three kilometres left to ride.

Nuyens and Zandio battled for the second spot on the podium, while climbing specialist Arroyo fell behind before being caught by Tiralongo and Astarloza.

The peloton finished a full 14 minutes and 22 seconds off of the winning pace in the end, allowing Garcia Dapena to climb 10 places in the general classification.

Jeremy Stahl / Eurosport