Volta a Catalunya: Dan Martin wins stage 3 on climb to La Molina

Dan Martin (Etixx-QuickStep) took a hard-fought stage 3 victory at Volta a Calatunya, in what was a thrilling last kilometre on the summit finish to La Molina. After a surprise attack against the event's headlining overall contenders, the Irishman muscled his way to the finish with the stage win despite a desperate chase from runner-up Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) and Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) in third. BMC teammates Tejay van Garderen and Richie Porte finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Martin's victory bumped him up into the overall race lead by six seconds ahead of Contador and Bardet. The battle for the overall victory will continue with another challenging day in the mountains at the Volta a Catalunya's stage 4 from Bagà to Port Ainé.

The final climb to La Molina

At the base of the finale climb to La Molina, the field’s top climbers moved to the front with Contador and Froome, Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Tejay van Garderen (BMC), Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge) and Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) waiting for the right time to strike out.

Lotto Soudal’s Louis Vervaeke was the first to make a move with 10km to go and with no massive response from the peloton he gained some time, sailing passed fading breakaway rider Pieter Weening (Roompot).

Team Sky towed what was left of the field up the shallower slopes, blasting passed Vervaeke with five kilometres go to. They held a tight grip over the next kilometre as the 25 remaining men calculated how they were going to take the finish.

A slight dip down gave the riders some reprieve but the slope kicked up again with two kilometres to go, the perfect time for Wout Poels (Team Sky) launched his attack. He was quickly marked by Quintana and then Ilnur Zakarin (Katusha).

Richie Porte (BMC) was the next to make a move with one kilometre to go, as van Garderen sat slightly further back.

Quintana’s attacked looked strongest so far, Martin punched around him in his own bid for the victory. Martin opened a quick and unmistakable gap as Contador gave chase in a desperate an unsuccessful attempt to close damage.

Martin stormed to the finish line with the stage win as Contador and Bardet raced in for second place, leaving the fourth and fifth places to BMC’s duo Porte and van Garderen.

Bouhanni abandons with illness

Stage 3 at the Volta was a big day for the peloton with four category 1 ascents: Alt de Coubet (66km), Alt de Toses (120km), Alde de La Molina (150km) and the climb to the finish in La Molina.

Overall race leader Nacer Bouhanni, who won stage 1 and stage 2, was forced to abandon part way through. He began losing time after about an hour of racing, losing around five minutes at kilometre 62 and over seven at kilometre 85, and he ultimately abandoned at the 90-kilometre mark.

A seven-man move formed that included Julian Alaphilippe (Etixx-QuickStep), Koen Bouwman (LottoNL-Jumbo), Kevin Reza (FDJ), Johann Van Zyl (Dimension Data), Jan Hirt (CCC Sprandi) along with Huub Duijn (Roompot - Oranje Peloton) and Alex Howes (Cannondale).

Howes and Duijin attacked the main breakaway and pushed on together to try and pick up more time on the five chasers and the field. The pair gained 31 seconds while Movistar led the main field into the final two climbs up to La Molina with 37km to go.

It was a day for the climbers with two ascents up to La Molina. The first time up the field took on 10km, descending 12km and then ascended for the second time with 8km to the finish line.

Howes and Duijn started the first ascent together, setting a strong pace and taking equal pulls, and they were later joined by Pieter Weening (Roompot).

Weening rested only for a few seconds on Howes’ and Duijn’s wheels before making one big attack to shed the pair. He quickly built a 20-second gap.

Team Sky amassed with eight riders at the front of the main field setting an undeniable tempo for their overall contender Chris Froome. Geraint Thomas took massive turns for his team and in a mater of a few hundred metres they picked up both Howes and Duijn.

Movistar moved in behind Team Sky near the top of the first time up to La Molina and Contador had two Tinkoff teammates by his side. But Weening’s efforts proved fruitful and he carried almost a minute over the top and into the second section of the first climb, where he picked up full points in the mountain competition.

Jordi Simon (Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling Team) made a short-lived move but he didn’t gain enough time on the field and was 1:04 behind solo breakaway man Weening.

Weening barreled down the 12km descent but his strong descending skills were not enough to hold off the peloton and he lost 15 seconds with 18km to go and another 15 three kilometres later.

With four kilometres to the start of the final climb, Team Sky had control of the main field and teams Tinkoff, Etixx-QuickStep, Katusha, Cannondale and Movistar all moved to the fore to set up for the finale.

The vibe in the peloton was tense as riders set up ahead of the entrance to the last climb and Louis Meintjes crashed, losing hopes for Lampre-Merida on the climbing stage.

Weening was caught on the final climb but that gave way to a nail-biting finale won by Martin.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Daniel Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step5:00:27
2Alberto Contador (Spa) Tinkoff Team0:00:02
3Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 2 - Cell 2
4Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 3 - Cell 2
5Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing Team0:00:09
6Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar TeamRow 5 - Cell 2
7Davide Formolo (Ita) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:00:11
8Ilnur Zakarin (Rus) Team Katusha0:00:12
9Christopher Froome (GBr) Team SkyRow 8 - Cell 2
10Hugh Carthy (GBr) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:00:18
11Rigoberto Uran (Col) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 10 - Cell 2
12Carlos Verona (Spa) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 11 - Cell 2
13Geraint Thomas (GBr) Team SkyRow 12 - Cell 2
14Mikel Nieve (Spa) Team SkyRow 13 - Cell 2
15Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 14 - Cell 2
16Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Team KatushaRow 15 - Cell 2
17Wouter Poels (Ned) Team Sky0:00:22
18Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 17 - Cell 2
19Jarlinson Pantano (Col) IAM CyclingRow 18 - Cell 2
20Merhawi Kudus (Eri) Dimension DataRow 19 - Cell 2
21Michael Woods (Can) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 20 - Cell 2
22Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 21 - Cell 2
23Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 22 - Cell 2
24Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 23 - Cell 2
25Lawrence Warbasse (USA) IAM Cycling0:00:28
26Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 25 - Cell 2
27Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing TeamRow 26 - Cell 2
28Mathias Frank (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 27 - Cell 2
29Esteban Chaves (Col) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 28 - Cell 2
30Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) AG2R La MondialeRow 29 - Cell 2
31Sergio Pardilla (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 30 - Cell 2
32Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek-SegafredoRow 31 - Cell 2
33Joe Dombrowski (USA) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 32 - Cell 2
34Samuel Sanchez (Spa) BMC Racing Team0:00:40
35Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team0:00:45
36Louis Vervaeke (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 35 - Cell 2
37Laurens De Plus (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 36 - Cell 2
38Warren Barguil (Fra) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 37 - Cell 2
39Yury Trofimov (Rus) Tinkoff Team0:01:01
40Winner Anacona (Col) Movistar Team0:01:04
41David De La Cruz (Spa) Etixx - Quick-Step0:01:06
42Antonio Molina (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:01:19
43Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:01:21
44José Herrada (Spa) Movistar Team0:01:26
45David Arroyo (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 44 - Cell 2
46Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar Team0:01:46
47Robert Gesink (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:01:57
48Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 47 - Cell 2
49Andre Cardoso (Por) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:02:00
50Bjorn Thurau (Ger) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:02:02
51Peter Stetina (USA) Trek-Segafredo0:02:48
52Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Wanty - Groupe Gobert0:03:24
53Víctor De La Parte (Spa) CCC Sprandi Polkowice0:03:51
54Nathan Brown (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:04:07
55Georg Preidler (Aut) Team Giant-Alpecin0:04:47
56Jan Polanc (Slo) Lampre - MeridaRow 55 - Cell 2
57Marco Minnaard (Ned) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 56 - Cell 2
58Nick Van Der Lijke (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 57 - Cell 2
59Igor Anton Hernandez (Spa) Dimension DataRow 58 - Cell 2
60Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing TeamRow 59 - Cell 2
61Dayer Quintana (Col) Movistar TeamRow 60 - Cell 2
62Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa) Lotto SoudalRow 61 - Cell 2
63Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro TeamRow 62 - Cell 2
64Alberto Losada (Spa) Team KatushaRow 63 - Cell 2
65Riccardo Zoidl (Aut) Trek-SegafredoRow 64 - Cell 2
66Dario Cataldo (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:06:28
67Damien Howson (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 66 - Cell 2
68Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale0:07:01
69Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La MondialeRow 68 - Cell 2
70Davide Malacarne (Ita) Astana Pro Team0:08:13
71Andrey Zeits (Kaz) Astana Pro TeamRow 70 - Cell 2
72Jesper Hansen (Den) Tinkoff Team0:09:00
73Ben Swift (GBr) Team Sky0:10:15
74Pieter Weening (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton0:11:03
75Jordi Simon (Spa) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling Team0:11:05
76Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 75 - Cell 2
77Tsgabu Grmay (Eth) Lampre - MeridaRow 76 - Cell 2
78Bertjan Lindeman (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 77 - Cell 2
79Ian Boswell (USA) Team Sky0:11:58
80Ruben Plaza (Spa) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 79 - Cell 2
81Ben Hermans (Bel) BMC Racing Team0:12:57
82Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 81 - Cell 2
83Jack Haig (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 82 - Cell 2
84Karel Hnik (Cze) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 83 - Cell 2
85Huub Duijn (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 84 - Cell 2
86Matvey Mamykin (Rus) Team KatushaRow 85 - Cell 2
87Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 86 - Cell 2
88Maxime Bouet (Fra) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 87 - Cell 2
89Arnaud Courteille (Fra) FDJRow 88 - Cell 2
90Marcel Wyss (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 89 - Cell 2
91Jan Hirt (Cze) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 90 - Cell 2
92Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre - Merida0:13:02
93Eduard Prades (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA0:13:24
94Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre - MeridaRow 93 - Cell 2
95Lukasz Owsian (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice0:14:16
96Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Dimension Data0:14:34
97Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (Fra) FDJ0:16:35
98Stef Clement (Ned) IAM Cycling0:16:45
99Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 98 - Cell 2
100Axel Domont (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 99 - Cell 2
101Amets Txurruka (Spa) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 100 - Cell 2
102Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 101 - Cell 2
103Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 102 - Cell 2
104Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Astana Pro TeamRow 103 - Cell 2
105Tomasz Marczynski (Pol) Lotto SoudalRow 104 - Cell 2
106Aleksei Tsatevich (Rus) Team KatushaRow 105 - Cell 2
107Sylwester Szmyd (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 106 - Cell 2
108Gaetan Bille (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 107 - Cell 2
109Pavel Kochetkov (Rus) Team KatushaRow 108 - Cell 2
110Imanol Erviti Ollo (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 109 - Cell 2
111Marc Soler (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 110 - Cell 2
112Ilia Koshevoy (Blr) Lampre - MeridaRow 111 - Cell 2
113Rein Taaramae (Est) Team KatushaRow 112 - Cell 2
114Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto SoudalRow 113 - Cell 2
115Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 114 - Cell 2
116Cameron Meyer (Aus) Dimension DataRow 115 - Cell 2
117Johann Van Zyl (RSA) Dimension DataRow 116 - Cell 2
118Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 117 - Cell 2
119Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:17:23
120Alexey Vermeulen (USA) Team LottoNl-Jumbo0:17:45
121Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling0:17:54
122Pawel Poljanski (Pol) Tinkoff Team0:19:02
123Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:19:54
124Antwan Tolhoek (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton0:19:58
125Anton Vorobyev (Rus) Team KatushaRow 124 - Cell 2
126Adam Stachowiak (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 125 - Cell 2
127Julien Bernard (Fra) Trek-SegafredoRow 126 - Cell 2
128Matteo Bono (Ita) Lampre - MeridaRow 127 - Cell 2
129Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing TeamRow 128 - Cell 2
130Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff TeamRow 129 - Cell 2
131Sindre Skjoestad Lunke (Nor) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 130 - Cell 2
132Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Trek-SegafredoRow 131 - Cell 2
133Jesus Hernandez (Spa) Tinkoff TeamRow 132 - Cell 2
134Oliver Zaugg (Swi) IAM CyclingRow 133 - Cell 2
135Eugenio Alafaci (Ita) Trek-SegafredoRow 134 - Cell 2
136Frederik Veuchelen (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 135 - Cell 2
137Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) FDJRow 136 - Cell 2
138Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 137 - Cell 2
139Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team SkyRow 138 - Cell 2
140Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff TeamRow 139 - Cell 2
141Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team SkyRow 140 - Cell 2
142Felix Grosschartner (Aut) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 141 - Cell 2
143Reinier Honig (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 142 - Cell 2
144Petr Vakoc (Cze) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 143 - Cell 2
145Lorenzo Manzin (Fra) FDJRow 144 - Cell 2
146Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Soudal0:21:17
147Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx - Quick-StepRow 146 - Cell 2
148Jérémy Maison (Fra) FDJRow 147 - Cell 2
149Christian Meier (Can) Orica-GreenEdgeRow 148 - Cell 2
150Kiel Reijnen (USA) Trek-SegafredoRow 149 - Cell 2
151Benjamin King (USA) Cannondale Pro CyclingRow 150 - Cell 2
152Martijn Keizer (Ned) Team LottoNl-JumboRow 151 - Cell 2
153Ivan Rovny (Rus) Tinkoff TeamRow 152 - Cell 2
154Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Roompot - Oranje PelotonRow 153 - Cell 2
155Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 154 - Cell 2
156Geoffrey Soupe (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 155 - Cell 2
157Romain Hardy (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 156 - Cell 2
158Carlos Barbero (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 157 - Cell 2
159Pawel Cieslik (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 158 - Cell 2
160Matej Mohoric (Slo) Lampre - MeridaRow 159 - Cell 2
161Pawel Franczak (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 160 - Cell 2
162Javier Aramendia (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 161 - Cell 2
163Jonas Koch (Ger) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 162 - Cell 2
164Marcin Mrozek (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 163 - Cell 2
165Jiri Polnicky (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 164 - Cell 2
166Jonas Vangenechten (Bel) IAM CyclingRow 165 - Cell 2
167Jérôme Baugnies (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 166 - Cell 2
168Stéphane Rossetto (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 167 - Cell 2
169Luis Mas Bonet (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGARow 168 - Cell 2
170Boris Dron (Bel) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 169 - Cell 2
171Borut Bozic (Slo) Cofidis, Solutions Credits0:21:25
172Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step0:21:27
173Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre - Merida0:23:01
174Cédric Pineau (Fra) FDJRow 173 - Cell 2
175Kévin Reza (Fra) FDJRow 174 - Cell 2
176Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 175 - Cell 2
177Etienne Van Empel (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton0:23:27
178Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Dimension Data0:26:51
DNFRuben Fernandez (Spa) Movistar TeamRow 178 - Cell 2
DNFTom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-AlpecinRow 179 - Cell 2
DNFGuillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R La MondialeRow 180 - Cell 2
DNFSébastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJRow 181 - Cell 2
DNFAdrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) Dimension DataRow 182 - Cell 2
DNFNacer Bouhanni (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions CreditsRow 183 - Cell 2
DNFMateusz Taciak (Pol) CCC Sprandi PolkowiceRow 184 - Cell 2
DNFKamil Gradek (Pol) Verva ActiveJet Pro Cycling TeamRow 185 - Cell 2
DNSJulian Arredondo (Col) Trek-SegafredoRow 186 - Cell 2
DNSOmar Fraile (Spa) Dimension DataRow 187 - Cell 2
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Mountain 1 - Alt de Coubet, 62km
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Huub Duijn (Ned) Roompot - Oranje Peloton16pts
2Johann Van Zyl (RSA) Dimension Data12Row 1 - Cell 3
3Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step10Row 2 - Cell 3
4Koen Bouwman (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo8Row 3 - Cell 3
5Jan Hirt (Cze) CCC Sprandi Polkowice6Row 4 - Cell 3
6Kévin Reza (Fra) FDJ4Row 5 - Cell 3
7Alex Howes (USA) Cannondale Pro Cycling3Row 6 - Cell 3
8Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky2Row 7 - Cell 3
9Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky1Row 8 - Cell 3
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