The 33-year-old Slovenian, winner of this year’s Giro d’Italia, and riding for Team Jumbo-Visma, moved past Belgium’s defending champion following a tough battle on the final climb to Xorret after the peloton had reeled in four breakaway riders.

American rider Kuss was the first to attack before Evenepoel, riding for Soudal Quick-Step, took the lead over the summit on the downhill race to the finish line.

But Evenepoel was unable to hold off Roglič, who won this race in 2019, 2020 and 2021, in the final sprint.

Spain’s Juan Ayuso was third with Denmark’s 2022 and 2023 Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard, also of Jumbo Visma, fifth and Kuss seventh.

With Martinez, riding for Groupama-FDJ, more than a minute behind at the finish, Kuss now leads the standings by 43 seconds from Spain’s Marc Soler of UAE Team Emirates and exactly one minute from Martinez.

Evenepoel, Roglič and Vingegaard are well-placed in sixth, seventh and eighth places, around two and a half minutes behind Kuss but with two weeks of racing still to go.

Tomorrow’s ninth stage is set to feature a 184km route starting in Cartagena and involving more climbing.