Ben O’Connor wins the third stage of the Volta and dresses as a leader

Ben O’Connor (AG2R) has been the first to finish the route of 161.1 kilometers of the first mountain stage of the Return to Catalonia and has been sheathed leader’s jersey. He has crossed the finish line with a time of 4 hours, 12 minutes, and 51 seconds, six seconds ahead of the Catalan John Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) and the Colombian Nairo Quintana (Team Arkea), second and third classified, respectively.

In back of O’Connor a group of up to 40 runners arrived in which they were favorites like the Spanish Alexander Valverde (Movistar), the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz (INEOS) and the Colombian Esteban Chavez (EF Education-Easy Post). The Australian is 10 seconds ahead of Ayuso12 to Quintana and 16 to Higuita.

The protagonists of the day’s escape were the Basques Ander Okamika (Burgos-BH) and Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel Euskadi), the Danish Casper Pedersen (Team DSM) and the Italian Simone Petitli (Wanty), who came to get more than eight minutes ahead.

But the work in the platoon of the vitoriano Oier Lazkano (Movistar) managed to reduce the difference to five minutes and five seconds at the top of the first pass, that of Mont-Louis, First class. This rise took its toll on the peloton and caused the abandonment of one of the big names, the Dutchman Tom Dumoulin (Jumbo-Visma), who according to his team “was not feeling well”.

The four escapees crowned this pass, located 31.7 kilometers from the finish line, with just 2 minutes and 10 seconds ahead and the difference was further reduced on the descent, which was commanded by several teams in a still large peloton . Thus, everything was decided in La Molinaan ascent with ramps of up to 15% slope.

Classification of the 3rd stage:

1 – O’CONNOR Ben (AG2R Citroen Team) 4:12:51

2 – AYUSO Juan (UAE Team Emirates) + 6″

3 – QUINTANA Nairo (Team Arkéa Samsic) mt

4 – HIGUITA Sergio (BORA – hansgrohe) mt

5 – ALMEIDA Joao (UAE Team Emirates) mt

6 – POELS Wout (Bahrain – Victorious) mt

7 – CICCONE Giulio (Trek – Segafredo) mt

8 – JOHANNESSEN Tobias Halland (One-X Pro Cycling Team) mt

9 – MARTIN Guillaume (Cofidis) mt

10-HOWSON Damien (Team BikeExchange – Jayco) + 9″

General ranking:

1 – O’CONNOR Ben (AG2R Citroen Team) 12:44:20

2 – AYUSO Juan (UAE Team Emirates) + 10″

3 – QUINTANA Nairo (Team Arkéa Samsic) + 12″

4 – HIGUITA Sergio (BORA – hansgrohe) + 16″

5 – CICCONE Giulio (Trek – Segafredo) mt

6 – JOHANNESSEN Tobias (Halland Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) mt

7 – POELS Wout (Bahrain – Victorious) mt

8 – MARTIN Guillaume (Cofidis) mt

9 – ALMEIDA Joao (UAE Team Emirates) mt

10 – KRUIJSWIJK Steven (Jumbo-Visma) + 19″