Various kind of riders in the top 10 of the 3rd stage of Vuelta a Espana, that started from the aircraft carrier Juan Carlos I in Cadiz and ended in Arcos de la Frontera (189,6 km) in very hot temperature.
The race was won by Matthews, while on the second place there’s a climber such as Martin; third place for Rodriguez, while a sprinter as Bouhanni obtained the 8th place.

This kind of composition was due to the donwhill that the bunch covered at 9 km to go: who could approach the final hill after the downhill in the had position, had the opportunity to fight for a top result.
LAMPRE-MERIDA riders were not in the head part of the group in the donwhill, so the first blue-fuchsia-green rider was Niemiec, 32nd at 7″ to the winner (there was a gap among the head part of the group and the following riders); Pozzato (photo Bettini) was 47th (at 19″), Anacona 50th (at 30″).
Conti raced wearing the white jersey as leader of the allaround ranking, but he had to give the leadership symbol to Mas Bonet.
Matthews is the new leader of the overall classification, Niemiec is 18th at 36″.

“This arrival was not suitable for my characteristics, however I tried to limit the gap to the head positions - Niemiec explained - In the downhill we lost some positions, this limited us in the approach of the final hill: I overtook a lot of riders, but I could not join the head part of the group”.

STAGE RESULTS
1- Matthews 5h12’14″
2- Martin s.t.
3- Rodriguez s.t.
4- Keldermann s.t.
32- Niemiec 7″
47- Pozzato 19″, 50- Anacona 30″, 65- Favilli 56″, 96- Serpa 2’18″, 124- Conti 3’37″, 153- Ferrari s.t., 159- Cunego 4’12″, 170- Richeze 4’21″

OVERALL RESULTS
1-Matthews 9h27’53″
2- Quintana 4″
3- Valverde 11″
4- Uran 15″
18- Niemiec 36″