Wout van Aert Triumphs in Stage Three of Vuelta a Espana

Belgian cyclist Wout van Aert won stage three of the Vuelta a Espana, outsprinting Kaden Groves. Van Aert extended his lead to 13 seconds over Brandon McNulty. This victory marks his first since February, and he plans to hand over the team leadership in the upcoming stages.

Belgian cyclist Wout van Aert claimed victory in stage three of the Vuelta a Espana, edging out Australia's Kaden Groves in a thrilling sprint finish. This win allowed Van Aert to avenge his second-place result to Groves in the previous stage.

After a tactical 191.2 km ride from Lousa to Castelo Branco, Van Aert secured his triumph during his Vuelta debut. Jon Aberasturi Izaga from Spain took third place in the final sprint. The victory also solidified Van Aert's overall lead to 13 seconds over American cyclist Brandon McNulty.

Reflecting on his win, Van Aert said, 'It's worth it to be patient. It's been quite a while since I could raise my hands and it feels so good.' The stage featured a breakaway group dominated by Luis Angel Mate, but the sprint finish was inevitable as the peloton reeled in the breakaway with 20 kilometers remaining. The race moves back to Spain for a mountain stage from Plasencia to Pico Villuercas next.

(With inputs from agencies.)