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2014 Vuelta a España Stage 3: Orica-GreenEdge’s Michael Matthews wins uphill finish, snatches race lead

Australian Michael Matthews has a red Vuelta a España leader’s jersey to add to his pink jersey from this year’s Giro d’Italia after the Orica-GreenEdge rider triumphed on Monday’s uphill finish. Overnight leader Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) shuttled down to third on GC.

Monday’s stage started on board the Spanish Navy’s multi-purpose ship Juan Carlos I. The four Cat. 3 climbs in the middle of the course were sure to attract a breakaway. Five men lit out on the excursion, Jacques van Rensberg (South Africa/MTN-Qhubeka) for the second day in a row. The salt-encrusted breakaways took a maximum lead of 8:00 over the Orica-GreenEdge-led bunch.

As expected, the escapees scrapped to assume the King of the Mountains lead. Jerome Cousin (France/Europecar) took the first two summits before Lluis Bonet (Spain/Caja Rural) left behind his breakmates on the third climb to win the next two. Cousin battled to pick up leftover points, but Bonet will wear the blue polka-dot jersey Monday.

Bonet still had 2:00 on the peloton with 40-km to go but started to struggle as the Australian team continued to whip along in pursuit. Cooked, Bonet surrendered 15-km later.

The temperature at the top of the rise to Arcos de la Frontera’s finish was 37 degrees. The rampaging peloton was adding to the heat, as teams looked to put their target men in place for the kicker to the line. Then an errant grab of a Movistar musette bag caused two of Valverde’s teammate’s to crash near the front and delay the majority of the bunch.

Grand Tour addict Adam Hansen (Australia/Lotto-Belisol) tried his luck with 13-km to go. Sky appeared at the front of the peloton to bring back the Aussie riding his 10th straight Grand Tour.

Once Hansen was reabsorbed, Giant-Shimano, Omega Pharma-QuickStep and Katusha took over the pace-making, driving the bunch at 63-kph toward the foot of the little ramp. Two sharp turns and two bridges made the end game a hairy one.

When the 6% section hit, Katusha pounced, with Joaquim Rodriguez on the hunt. Sagan was wary and able to follow. Instead of Rodriguez taking the lead, it was his teammate Giampaolo Caruso. But in the final 200 metres Caruso was first passed by Dan Martin (Ireland/Garmin-Sharp) and then Matthews, who surged ahead to victory. Rodriguez was third.

Tuesday’s stage is fairly flat except for a Cat. 3 and a Cat. 2 climb in the final third.

2014 Vuelta a España Stage 3
1) Michael Matthews (Australia/Orica-GreenEdge) 5:12:14
2) Dan Martin (Ireland/Garmin-Sharp) s.t.
3) Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain/Katusha) s.t.
17) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) +0:07
115) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +3:21

2014 Vuelta a España GC
1) Michael Matthews (Australia/Orica-GreenEdge)
2) Nairo Quintana (Colombia/Movistar) +0:04
3) Alejandro Valverde (Spain/Movistar) +0:11
40) Ryder Hesjedal (Canada/Garmin-Sharp) +0:52
110) Guillaume Boivin (Canada/Cannondale) +3:56

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