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Barry Ryan

Vuelta a España stage 3 live - Evenepoel out-sprints Vingegaard in Arinsal

Damiano Caruso Pierre Latour TotalEnergies Andrea Vendrame Rune Herregodts Vuelta (Event) Andorra Vuelta a España AG2R Citroën IntermarchéCircusWanty Andrea Piccolo

Vuelta a Españ a 2023 - Everything you need to know

Vuelta a Españ a 2023 route

Vuelta a España hits the heights on stage 3 with first summit finish - Preview

Vuelta a Españ a: Andreas Krön takes solo win on stage 2 amid crashes and torrential rain

Welcome to live coverage of stage 3 of the Vuelta a España,158.5km from Súria to Arinsal in Andorra for the first summit finish of the race.

After a fraught opening weekend in Barcelona, Andrea Piccolo (EF Education-EasyPost) leads the Vuelta a España, but the complexion of the race could alter considerably this afternoon, with two category 1 climbs on the agenda. The Coll d'Ordino is followed by the summit finish at Arinsal.

General classification after stage 2

1 Andrea Piccolo (Ita) EF Education-EasyPost 4:27:23

2 Javier Romo (Spa) Astana Qazaqstan 0:00:11

3 Ivan Garcia Cortina (Spa) Movistar 0:00:13

4 Romain Bardet (Fra) Team dsm-firmenich

5 Max Poole (GBr) Team dsm-firmenich

6 Nelson Oliveira (Por) Movistar

7 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Movistar

8 Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar

9 Einer Rubio (Col) Movistar

10 Sean Flynn (GBr) Team dsm-firmenich

The peloton rolls out of Súria at 13.15 local time, with the race scheduled to hit kilometre zero at 13.27.

Alasdair Fotheringham is on the Vuelta for Cyclingnews and he has written this excellent preview of today's stage, with insight on the climb of Arinsal from local resident Nathan Haas. "How hard is it? Put it this way, this is one of the climbs I’ll avoid in training if I’m not having a good day,” Haas, ex-road pro and now a stalwart of the gravel scene for Colnago, told Cyclingnews. “We’re going to see a very selective race immediately on this stage. For a Grand Tour stage 3 to have a day like this takes away any chance of a random person slipping into the lead later in the week. It’s absolutely a GC day.” Read more here.

After the farce of Saturday evening's team time trial in the dark, the decision was taken to stop the clock for GC 9km from the finish of yesterday's stage in Barcelona. "Today the organisers did the right thing, it was very slippy and this was a skating rink. If we’d gone all the way to the finish it would have been really dangerous," Juan Ayuso said afterwards. Alasdair Fotheringham has the full story here.

Today's stage is one of two parts. The relatively flat opening after the start in Suria allows an early break to steal a march on the peloton. The two category 1 ascents in the finale will see the GC men spring into action. First up is the Coll d'Ordino (17.3km at 7.7%), whose summit comes 21km from the finish. It's followed in rapid succession by the haul to the finish at Arinsal (8.3km at 7.7%).

The peloton is currently navigating the neutralised zone ahead of the official start. There are no non-starters to report, with 174 riders still in the race. Laurens De Plus (Ineos) crashed out in the opening team time trial, while Oscar Onley (DSM) abandoned after a fall yesterday.

-158km

The peloton has hit kilometre zero and stage 3 of the Vuelta is formally underway.

Not surprisingly, it's been a most rapid start to proceedings, with the speed well in excess of 50kph through these opening kilometres, but a break has yet to establish itself.

Andrea Piccolo reports for duty in the maillot rojo. (Image credit: Getty Images)

-150km

Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek), Jimmy Janssens (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Kobe Goossens (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) attack and eke out a small advantage, but the pace is still very, very high.

And Bernard, Janssens and Goossens are duly pinned back by the peloton.

-141km

Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) is the next man to go on the offensive, bringing his compatriot Kevin Ledanois (Arkea-Samsic) with him as well as Michal Schlegel (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Jason Osborne (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Eric Fagundez (Burgos-BH), but it's hard for a move to gain any traction at this speed.

-137km

Latour et al are brought to heel and the deadlock remains unbroken.

Juan Ayuso and Remco Evenepoel before the start. (Image credit: Getty Images)

-132km

The race trundles through El Pi De Sant Just after 26km of racing and still no break has managed to establish itself.

-126km

Julien Bernard (Lidl-Trek) has another go, this time joined by Eduardo Sepulveda (Lotto-Dstny), François Bidard (Cofidis), Fabien Doubey (TotalEnergies) and Eric Fagundez (Burgos-BH)

The flurry of attack and counter-attack continues, but a break has yet to establish itself. Sepulveda is now dangling off the front of the race alone, but the Argentinian surely won't stay there for long without company.

-120km

Latour goes again, bridging up to Sepulveda in the company of Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Lidl-Trek).

-118km

Damiano Caruso, Jasha Sütterlin (Bahrain Victorious), Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe), Andrea Vendrame (AG2R Citroën), Rune Herregodts (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) and Jon Barrenetxea (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) make it across to Latour, Sepulveda and Ghebreigzabhier, leaving nine riders at the head of the race.

-117km

Break:

Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Lidl-Trek), Eduardo Sepúlveda (Lotto-Dstny), Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies), Damiano Caruso, Jasha Sütterlin (Bahrain Victorious), Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe), Andrea Vendrame (AG2R Citroën), Rune Herregodts (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) and Jon Barrenetxea (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA)

Peloton at 0:30

It finally looks as though we have our break, even if none of the GC teams will be too eager to allow Damiano Caruso - just 23 seconds down - too much leeway. Lennard Kamna, 41 seconds off red, is another danger man.

The intensity in the peloton has abated considerably and the nine leaders are stretching out their advantage accordingly. The gap is yawning out towards the two-minute mark. Mathis Le Berre (Arkea-Samsic) and Jose Manuel Diaz (Burgos-BH), meanwhile, are giving chase in the no man's land between the break and the peloton.

-108km

Break:

Chasers at 0:55:

Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa-Samsic) and Jose Manuel Diaz (Burgos-BH)

Peloton at 2:45

The EF Education-EasyPost team of maillot rojo Andrea Piccolo are are policing matters at the head of the peloton. Damiano Caruso is, of course, the virtual race leader.

-104km

The break's advantage stretches out beyond the three-minute mark. Meanwhile, Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa-Samsic) and Jose Manuel Diaz (Burgos-BH) remain 45 seconds behind the nine leaders.

-103km

Break:

Chasers at 0:45:

Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa-Samsic) and Jose Manuel Diaz (Burgos-BH)

Peloton at 3:12

Damiano Caruso leads the break on stage 3 of the Vuelta a Espana. (Image credit: Getty Images)

-93km

Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa-Samsic) and Jose Manuel Diaz (Burgos-BH) have succeeded in bridging up to the front, leaving a break of 11 riders at the head of the race. The pace has abated a little further in the bunch, meanwhile, and the gap has inched out to five minutes.

-92km

Break:

Peloton at 5:00

-87km

The peloton has shaved a few seconds off the break's lead, and the gap drops to 4:40.

Remco Evenepoel (Image credit: Getty Images)

Speaking to RTBF before the start, Remco Evenepoel insisted his principal objective for today's summit finish was to finish alongside his fellow GC contenders: "It's still early in the Vuelta, and they're forecasting rain in the finale, so everyone's going to be a little more cautious than if it's dry. But I think Ayuso will be trying to make up time. There are some guys who will try to do something. Mas might also try something because he's only got six seconds and he knows he's going to lose time in the individual time trial. It's up to the others to do something.”

-79km

Break:

Peloton at 4:30

The eleven leaders continue to collaborate on the long drag towards the foot of the Coll d'Ordino, which begins with 39km to race. 4:20 the gap to the bunch.

Andrea Piccolo wears the maillot rojo. "It's an indescribable feeling, I see myself in red and I can’t believe it," he told Eurosport. ""Now we’ll try to defend it. It all depends on how the favourites ride the stage roday. In Italy, we’ve been missing a stage race rider. I haven’t come here to ride for GC but I have come here to see how I last over three weeks. Wearing red was an objective for me and later I’ll look to achieve my second target of winning a stage."

-70km

The break's lead has contracted steadily over the past 15km or so, and the gap now stands at 4:10.

Break:

Peloton at 4:06

Jumbo-Visma, Ineos and Soudal-QuickStep are all content to collaborate and police the peloton for the time being, and their working agreement is keeping this break's advantage under control.

-61km

Remco Evenepoel is perched towards the head of the peloton amid a phalanx of his Soudal-QuickStep teammates. Pieter Serry is performing the chasing for Evenepoel, alongside Dutch champion Dylan van Baarle (Jumbo-Visma).

-55km

The conditions are dry, sunny and warm for the time being, though Andorra resident Dan Martin warned that overnight rain might make the descent of the Ordino a treacherous one.

Light rain in Andorrà all morning means the roads are still wet. Descent of col d’ordino will be tricky as a lot of pine needles and a changeable road surface. A lot of local riders who will know this descent well. It’s not too cold but fast and technical and will cause splitsAugust 28, 2023

Dylan van Baarle rides at the head of the peloton for Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vinegaard, 3:42 down on the escapees.

Jumbo-Visma rider Michel Hessman, part of Roglic's supporting cast at the Giro, has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for an unnamed diuretic in June, and according to a report by NOS, the rider has had his home searched by German authorities. Read more here.

-50km

Break:

Peloton at 3:27

-46km

The break's advantage continues to contract as they trundle towards the foot of the Coll d'Ordino. 3:10 the gap.

-42km

A delegation from UAE Team Emirates moves towards the head of the bunch, which is just 4km from the base of the Ordino proper, though the road has already been climbing for some time.

-41km

Andrea Vendrame leads the break through the intermediate sprint with a lead of 3:20 over the peloton.

-39km

While conditions are sunny and dry in the valley, the wind is currently whipping up strongly at the summit of Arinsal. The break's lead, meanwhile, has dropped inside three minutes for the first time.

-38km

Break:

Peloton at 2:55

-37km

The break begins the Coll d'Ordino (17.3km at 7.7%) with a lead of 2:48 over the peloton. The toughest part of the Ordino comes at the bottom, and it will be fascinating to see if Jumbo-Visma and others are mined to start turning the screw from this far out.

-35km

The peloton is drawing inexorably closer to the break on the lower slopes of the Ordino, with delegations from DSM, Soudal-QuickStep, Mpvistar and Bora-Hansgrohe perched near the front. 2:43 the gap to the break.

-32.5km

Jasha Sutterlin rides at the head of the break on behalf of his teammate and virtual maillot rojo Damiano Caruso. The headwind on the climb seems to have deterred any show of force in the peloton for now, and the gap is still 2:30.

-32km

Sutterlin's job is done. The German swings off after his turn on the front for Caruso. And now Jose Manuel Diaz (Burgos-BH) accelerates, though Caruso immediately shuts it down.

Pierre Latour and Andrea Vendrame are dropped by that acceleration. Caruso comes though with a searing turn of his own, and the Sicilian has brought three riders with him...

Four riders at the fron with a small lead over the rest of the break: Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious), Jon Barrenetxea (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Eduardo Sepúlveda (Lotto-Dstny) and Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Lidl-Trek) has battled his way back up to Caruso et al, making it a group of five at the front. Meanwhile, Jumbo-Visma look to be assuming the position at the head of the bunch, 2:18 down the road.

-30km

Break:

Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious), Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe), Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Lidl-Trek), Jon Barrenetxea (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) and Eduardo Sepúlveda (Lotto-Dstny)

Peloton at 2:26

-29km

Robert Gesink lays down the tempo in the peloton with 8km of the Ordino still to go, and the race is beginning to string out slightly as the pace rises.

It's interesting to see DSM take up the reins in the bunch on behalf of Romain Bardet, who is just 13 seconds off the overall lead. Delegations from Jumbo-Visma and Soudal-QuickStep are lined up behind them.

Ghebreigzabhier has lost touch with the front group, and as Caruso pushes on the pace, only Kämna and Sepúlveda can follow him. This trio has 2:15 in hand on the peloton.

Damiano Caruso is a man on a mission as he continues to set the pace at the head of the race, with Kamna and Sepulveda on his wheel. The Sicilian's efforts are keeping the escapees 2:12 clear of the DSM-led peloton.

-26km

Maillot rojo Andrea Piccolo (EF Education-EasyPost) slips towards the very rear of the reduced peloton, where Bardet sits comfortably in second wheel. 2:07 the gap to the break.

-25km

Break:

Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious), Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Eduardo Sepúlveda (Lotto-Dstny)

Peloton at 2:10

Caruso, Sepulveda and Kamna are exchanging turns at the front, where the gradient has eased slightly ahead of the final kick up towards the summit, still 3km away. DSM continue to lead the bunch, on behalf of Bardet and, perhaps, Max Poole.

-24.5km

Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates) attacks from the peloton on the Ordino, bringing Romain Bardet with him... They are brought to heel soon afterwards, but it's a sign of the Australian's eagerness to go on the offensive...

Andrea Piccolo's spell in the red jersey will be a short-lived one. The Italian is distanced after Vine's cameo...

-23km

Romain Bardet is warming to his task after tracking Vine. The Frenchman attacks alone off the front of the peloton and opens a small gap.

Wilco Kelderman (Jumbo-Visma) bridges across to Bardet but, to the Frenchman's annoyance, he isn't minded to come through and give him a turn. Soudal-QuickStep lead the chase in the bunch.

-22km

These attacks, meanwhile, have served to slash the break's lead, which has dropped to 1:20 in this final kilometre of the Ordino.

Bardet hasn't desisted and he's picking off the remnants of the break with Kelderman stuck tightly to his wheel.

-21.5km

Eduardo Sepulveda leads the break over the top after responding to an acceleration from Caruso. This trio has 1:08 on the UAE-led bunch, which has just reeled Bardet and Kelderman back in. Jay Vine, fresh from his attacking cameo earlier on the climb, is now on pace-making duties for Juan Ayuso and Joao Almeida.

-20km

Break:

Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious), Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Eduardo Sepúlveda (Lotto-Dstny)

Peloton at 1:01

Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe), Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) and Eduardo Sepúlveda (Lotto-Dstny) picked up 3, 2 and 1 seconds in time bonuses over the top of the Ordino, incidentally. Caruso remains the virtual maillot rojo, but the group of favourites is closing rapidly.

There are flecks of rain falling on this descent, and caution will be the byword for the peloton as they drop towards the base of the final haul up Arinsal.

-15km

It's a fast and sweeping descent off the Ordino, and the peloton has closed to within a minute of the escapees.

-13km

Sepulveda has lost contact with Caruso and Kamna on the descent, and the Argentinian trails the two leaders by 15 seconds.

-11km

Break:

Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) and Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe)

Chaser at 0:16:

Eduardo Sepúlveda (Lotto-Dstny)

Peloton at 1:11

Soudal-QuickStep's Louis Vervaeke leads the chasers towards the base of the final climb to Arinsal (8.3km at 7.7%).

-8.5km

There are still 30 or so riders in the peloton as the race hits the base of the category 1 climb to the finish. It will be fascinating to see precisely how Jumbo-Visma play their cards on this ascent. Robert Gesink takes over on the front for Jumbo-Visma as the climb begins.

Caruso and Kamna look to have definitively distanced Sepulveda. The leading pair have the aptitude for a climb like this, but their lead of 1:19 might not be enough to fend off a bunch like this, particularly if Jumbo-Visma wind up the pace for Roglic as they have done so often in the past.

-7.5km

Lennard Kamna accelerates, but he can't quite shake off Caruso. Sepulveda, meanwhile, has been picked up by Ghebreigzabhier, but they are a minute down and just ahead of the peloton.

-7km

Break:

Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Victorious) and Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe)

Chasers at 1:06:

Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Lidl-Trek) and Eduardo Sepúlveda (Lotto-Dstny)

Peloton at 1:29

Maillot rojo group at 3:00

-5.5km

Kamna attacks Caruso once again, but the Sicilian continues to hang tough. Meanwhile, the pace has abated in the peloton and the two leaders suddenly have a buffer of 1:40. As things stand, Caruso is on course to take hold of the maillot rojo this evening, but we can surely expect an injection of urgency in the bunch once the gradient stiffens in the final 3km.

-5km

Ineos, UAE, Jumbo-Visma and Soudal-QuickStep all have riders posted near the head of the bunch, but nobody is keen to lay down a rasping pace just yet. Caruso and Kamna carry a lead of 1:36 into the final 5km.

-4.5km

Kamna leads Caruso and eyes him warily. The forthcoming 13% slopes might well provide some separation between the leading pair.

-4km

Jay Vine now takes up the reins in the group of favourites and stretching things out with Juan Ayuso, Vingegaard, Attila Valter and Evenepoel queued up behind him.

Vine is gradually dialling up the pace and riders are beginning to suffer a tthe rear of this group. Evenepoel and, inevitably, Vingegaard look to be pedallign smoothly. Roglic is a little further back, though he doesn't look in any distress.

Caruso leads Kamna on the upper reaches of Arinsal, but they must know that the UAE-led peloton is closing...

-3km

Lennard Kämna (Bora-Hansgrohe) attacks beneath the 3km to go banner and he opens a small gap over Caruso, though the Sicilian hasn't been definitively shaken off just yet...

Geraint Thomas has slipped towards the back of the group of favourites, which is now 20 or so riders strong. The Welshman is still on board, but his positioning is not ideal for if - when? - the group breaks up nearer the summit.

Jay Vine continues his pace-making, with Ayuso and a big delegation of Jumbo-Visma riders queued up on his wheel.

Lennard Kämna is alone in front, but the Vine-led group of favourites is closing so rapidly on the 13% slopes. Caruso, virtual leader for much of the day, has been caught..

Here it comes... Juan Ayuso accelerates with 2.3km to go. Vingegaard comes with him, followed by Roglic and Kuss and a handful of others...

When Ayuso stalls, Sepp Kuss attacks and opens a gap. The rest of the favourites have caught back up to Vingegaard and Roglic.

It's a rasping acceleration from Sepp Kuss, who is now closing to within touhcing distance of Lennard Kämna. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) has somehow scrambled up to Kuss.

-1km

Enric Mas has taken over at the head of the severely reduced group of favourites and he has brought them up to Soler, Kuss and Kamna as they approach the flamme rouge.

Marc Soler takes a flyer but he is caught by a small group containing Mas, Evenepoel, Roglic, Vingegaard, Ayuso, Almeida, Vlasov and Kuss. Geraint Thomas is a notable absentee from this elite group...

Sepp Kuss leads a group of a dozen or so riders into the final 500m. These look set to be the heads of state of this Vuelta. The stage looks set for Roglic but Evenepoel kicks from distance...

Vingegaard goes in pursuit of Evenepoel but the Belgian champion won't be denied...

Evenepoel kicks again and this looks like stage victory.

Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) wins stage 3 of the Vuelta a España

Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) took second place in the sprint.

And Remco Evenepoel has crashed past the finish line and recieved a cut to his eyebrow. The Belgian is quickly back on his feet, and while there is a lot of blood, he doesn't seem to be in any distress.

Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) was third on the stage, while Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) took fourth.

Remco Evenepoel has also taken hold of the red jersey, 5 seconds ahead of Enric Mas and 11 up on the impressive Lenny Martinez, who came home in the front group today.

Result

1 Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep 4:15:39

2 Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:01

3 Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Team Emirates

4 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo-Visma

5 Marc Soler (Spa) UAE Team Emirates

6 Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar

7 Lenny Martinez (Fra) Groupama-FDJ

8 Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) Bora-Hansgrohe

9 João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates

10 Aleksandr Vlasov Bora-Hansgrohe

General classification

1 Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep 8:43:11

2 Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar 0:00:05

3 Lenny Martinez (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:11

4 Jonas Vingegaard (Den) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:31

5 Aleksandr Vlasov Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:33

6 Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bel) Bora-Hansgrohe

7 Romain Bardet (Fra) DSM 0:00:35

8 Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain Victorious

9 Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Jumbo-Visma 00:00:37

10 Primoz Roglic (Slo) Jumbo-Visma

Geraint Thomas, incidentally, lost 47 seconds today, and the Welshman is already 1:11 behind Evenepoel in the overall standings.

Remco Evenepoel begins his post-race flash interview by decrying the crash he suffered beyond the finish line: "Again, some things of safety. It was only 50 metres after the finish line, and it’s the third day in a row and it’s a bit breaking my balls now."

He goes on to praise his team's approach. "I think it was perfect tactics from us to be patient and to wait. We took the descent of the Ordino in the front, which was a good decision. I felt super good on the final climb with a long and very strong sprint, so I’m super happy with this victory," says Evenepoel. "For us, it would have been a very good thing to have a breakaway gone, but when we caught them, Klaas [Lodewyck] said, ‘It’s for the win now, you have to be focused.’ That’s when I decided to go for it, and I felt I had a big punch left in my legs, so it’s good."

The win puts Evenepoel in the red jersey early on, despite his insistence that he didn't want it at this point. "Unfortunately! No, I’m going to enjoy it, it’s a good victory here in Andorra at high altitude. It shows my preparation was good and that I’m ready for the next three weeks."

A full report, results and pictures from today's stage are available here.

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