Australian rider Caleb Ewan highlighted his huge promise when he scooped victory on Wednesday's fifth stage of the Vuelta a España, with the 21-year-old easily beating far more experienced rivals.

The Orica-GreenEdge rider was marshalled into a strong position by his team, then calmly waited as Milan-Sanremo and Paris-Roubaix victor John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin) launched his sprint.

Ewan then kicked hard on the uphill drag to the line in Alcalá de Guadáira, pulling well clear of Degenkolb and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo).

Irish riders Nicolas Roche (Sky) and Dan Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) finished 22nd and 27th respectively, with gaps in the bunch seeing them conceded eight seconds to Ewan. Importantly, they remain third and fourth overall, 16 and 25 seconds behind the new overall leader Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin).

The Dutchman took over at the top after he finished 15th on the stage, six seconds ahead of previous leader Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge).

Ewan is riding his first Grand Tour and said beforehand that he was unlikely to complete the full three weeks.

Stage win

While he is expected to withdraw around stage 10, he said that he was riding the Vuelta for experience and also hoped to clock up a stage win. Having done so on Wednesday’s flat 167.3 kilometre fifth stage from Rota, he was understandably elated.

“It is an incredible feeling. It is by far biggest victory of my career,” he said. “Degenkolb went, I waited and waited, then went over the top of him. It was perfect.”

The Vuelta a España continues Thursday with an undulating 200.3km race from Cordoba to Cazorla. Two category three climbs rear up towards the end, including the summit finish.