German John Degenkolb won his third stage in the Tour of Spain on Friday but Spaniard Joaquim Rodriguez held on to the overall leader's red jersey.

Degenkolb, the 23-year-old of the Argos-Shimano team, dashed across the line ahead of Italian Elio Viviani of Liquigas and Australian Allan Davis of Orica Greenedge after a crash-blighted 164km seventh stage.

The German had already tasted victory in the second and fifth stages of the Vuelta.

The drama of the race through northeastern Spain was a crash that took down half a dozen racers including Colombian Rigoberto Uran who lost his overall fourth position and slumped to 12th.

Looking dangerous in the overall rankings were Briton Chris Froome of the Sky team, lying in second place, and third-placed Spaniard Alberto Contador of Saxo Bank.