Freire prevails in Las Gabias

Oscar Freire (Katusha) sprinted to victory in stage 3 of the Vuelta a Andalucia and earned his second win of the season. The 36-year-old Spaniard outkicked Daniel Schorn (Team NetApp) and Michael Matthews (Rabobank) in a 56-rider bunch gallop after the peloton split on a category 3 climb inside of six kilometres remaining.

The top of the general classification remained unchanged as race leader Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) maintained his three-second advantage over Rein Taaramae (Cofidis) and eight-second margin over third-placed Jerome Coppel (Saur-Sojasun) with one stage remaining.

"Today the team worked really well for me," said Freire. "We managed to keep a high rhythm and not so many riders could stay with us. Regarding the sprint, I knew the last, difficult bend was more important than the last straight, which was downhill. It was not an easy sprint, but [Luca] Paolini took me almost to the end.

"I feel in a good shape. Obviously I'm not at my best level, because there's no need to be at this time of the season, but I'm working well in order to be at my top later. These two victories are very important because they give us the right motivation for continuing this way and maybe improving. Our team spirit is great, we're improving day by day, so I think this year we can get great results in even more prestigious races."

The day's first categorised climb, the third category Puerto del Mojon at 47.7km splintered the peloton into three groups and from the lead group of approximately 70 riders David Lelay (Saur-Sojasun) and Tristan Valentin (Cofidis) went on the attack to initiate the break of the day. The duo were joined by Javier Ramírez (Andalucia) and Gregory Habeaux (Accent Jobs - Willems Verandas) a few kilometres later and they soon had a one-minute advantage over the peloton, which was re-grouping after the initial split.

Fabricio Ferrari (Caja Rural) decided to throw his hat in the ring and rode across the one-minute gap to join the four leaders at kilometre 70 of the 157.1km stage. The now five-man breakaway steadily increased their lead, reaching a maximum advantage of 3:10 with 35 kilometres remaining.

Katusha and Rabobank, intent on setting up their respective sprinters, took up the chase and quickly reduced the break's lead, which stood at just 20 seconds with 10 kilometres to go.

There was a slight sting in the tail as a category 3 climb was situated 5.7km from the finish, with the remainder of the stage downhill to Las Gabias. David Delay dropped his four breakaway companions in a last ditch effort for victory, but he and his four fellow escapees were all caught prior to the KOM setting up the field sprint conclusion to the stage.