Stage 3 of La Vuelta a Espana 2024 was the last of the stages of this year’s La Vuelta that were to be contested in Portuguese terrain. La Vuelta organizers had designed a 191.5-kilometer route from Lousa to Castelo Branco. The hilly stage profile featured one Category 2 climb and one Category 4 climb.

American national time trial champion Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) had lost the race lead after yesterday’s stage 2, and while new race leader Wout van Aert was showing off in his bright red race leader jersey, it felt like Deja vu when Ibon Ruiz and Luis Angel Mate launched a breakaway as they had done in yesterday’s stage.

The rolling oranges were eager to fly their Euskaltel-Euskadi sponsor colors as were the men from Team Kern Pharma. This time Mate’s Euskaltel teammate Xabier Isasa joined in as did Ruiz’ teammate Unai Iribar.

After twenty-five kilometers of fast riding, the courageous front quartet had an advantage of almost two minutes over the main peloton, which was spearheaded by Team Visma-Lease a Bike with their Belgian race leader Wout van Aert.

Kasper Asgreen (Soudal-QuickStep), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), and Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny) briefly tested their offensive attacking legs, but were quickly reeled in by the chasing peloton.

After forty kilometers of racing, the front quartet had increased its lead to 02:45 minutes. After fifty kilometers their advantage was approximately five minutes. The main peloton – headed by Alpecin-Deceuninck and Visma-Lease a Bike – slowly started grinding seconds off their lead as the front riders approached the Category 2 climb after seventy kilometers of fast racing in the hot weather conditions.

Luis Angel Mate was the first rider to reach the top of the Alto de Teixeira and gained the most points for the Best Climber Classification.

With ninety kilometers of today’s stage 3 of La Vuelta 2024 remaining, the breakaway quartet had an advantage of two minutes over the chasing main peloton, which was taking things easy in the warm weather conditions.

Riders in the Vuelta peloton were again spotted wearing the FlowBio hydration sensors to further improve their athletic performance in the heat. 

Rigoberto Uran reached an important milestone in today’s stage and has now ridden no less than 75000 kilometers in Grand Tours during his impressive career as a professional cyclist. The Colombian rider from Team EF Education-EasyPost is riding his final season.

The advantage of the breakaway quartet had dropped to 01:20 minutes with fifty kilometers of today’s stage yet to be conquered. The riders were now approaching the Category 4 Alto de Aipedrinha climb, which was the final categorized climb on today’s climbing menu.

Xabier Isasa (Team Euskaltel-Euskadi) attacked from the front group later in the stage to extend his breakaway effort, while the other three breakaway optimists were reeled in when twenty-eight kilometers of stage 3 of La Vuelta remained. Riders from Alpecin-Deceuninck and Visma-Lease a Bike were spearheading the chase in the peloton.

Isasa was later caught, and the sprinter teams lined up at the front of the peloton for a mass sprint finish.

The speed was intense with three kilometers left.

Visma-Lease a Bike riders were leading the peloton for Wout van Aert with two kilometers left. Alpecin-Deceunink riders joined the fun and increased the speed further.

Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Dstny) launched a surprise attack, and the sprinter teams were forced to work hard to catch the Belgian rider. He was caught with one kilometer remaining.

Wout van Aert launched his sprint in the red race leader jersey. Kaden Groves tried to counter but was unable to catch van Aert. Wout van Aert won stage 3 ahead of Kaden Groves, while Jon Aberasturi completed the stage podium for Team Euskaltel-Euskadi.

Wout van Aert remains general classification leader in La Vuelta a Espana 2024 for Team Visma – Lease a Bike.

The riders will now leave Portugal and travel to Spain for Tuesday’s stage 4 of La Vuelta a Espana 2024. The stage will be a mountainous 170.5-kilometer ride from Plasencia to Pico Villuercas. The stage will feature one Category 3 climb, one Category 2 climb, and two Category 1 climbs of which one of the climbs will take the riders to the finish line.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for additional coverage from Vuelta a Espana 2024.

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