SIMON Yates maintained his place in the top 10 of the Vuelta a Espana after finishing 28th in today's seventh stage.
It looked as if the 24-year-old Bury cyclist had stolen six vital seconds on red jersey contenders Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana and ORICA-BikeExchange team-mate Esteban Chaves after a crash disrupted the finale.
Alberto Contador went down, splitting the peleton, but race directors nullified the times of the leading finishers.
Belgian Jonas Van Genechten won the sprint finish into Puebla de Sanabria at the end of the hilly 158.5km stage from Maceda.
He headed up a group that successfully chased down breakaway duo Luis Leon Sanchez and Simon Clarke in the final 100 metres.
Tomorrow's 181km stage from Villalpando is relatively flat before a steep climb up to a hill-top finish at La Camperona/Valle de Sabero.
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