Belgium's Van Aert sprints to Vuelta stage three win

Belgium's Wout van Aert retained his wide lead astatine nan Vuelta a Espana pinch a powerful sprint decorativeness to triumph shape 3 connected Monday.

Van Aert held disconnected Kaden Groves to declare triumph connected nan 191.2km way - from Lousa to Castelo Branco successful Portugal - and enact revenge connected nan Australian, who had pipped him to shape 2 a time earlier.

Visma-Lease a Bike's Van Aert keeps clasp of nan reddish leader's jersey aft his first triumph since February, and 10th astatine a Grand Tour.

Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was 2nd successful nan aforesaid clip pinch Euskaltel-Euskadi's Spanish rider Jon Aberasturi third.

"It's worthy it to beryllium patient, it's been rather a while since I could raise my hands [in celebration] and this feels truthful good," said Van Aert.

"To usage my spot and motorboat early, I deliberation I amazed [Groves] by going moreover earlier 200 metres. It was nan cleanable sprint for me.

"The squad was truthful strong, we had nan full title successful control, they sewage maine nan cleanable position successful nan extremity truthful this gave maine nan assurance to decorativeness it off."

Sprint master Van Aert will play a supporting domiciled for his Visma team-mate and defending Vuelta champion Sepp Kuss successful shape 4 connected Tuesday.

"Unfortunately nan nosy is over, tomorrow I'll beryllium happy to springiness nan domiciled arsenic squad leader to Sepp and Cian [Uijtdebroeks], it will beryllium nan first trial for nan GC guys and I will effort to bask [wearing red] 1 much time," added Van Aert.

Kuss trails Van Aert by 1 infinitesimal and six seconds, while title favourite Primoz Roglic - hunting a 4th Vuelta title - is 30 seconds down nan Belgian.