Van Aert takes first victory in six months to extend Vuelta lead | Video

Wout van Aert finally takes a win after coming close so many times since returning from the crash injuries he sustained earlier in the season (Photo: Rafa Gomez-Sprint Cycling Agency)

Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) took his first win in six months on stage 3 of La Vuelta on Monday, extending his general classification lead on a day when Darren Rafferty (EF Education-EasyPost) showed his national champion's kit on the front in the final.

Belgian rider Van Aert suffered a major set-back earlier this year when he crashed at Dwars door Vlaanderen, at the end of March, and broke several bones, including his collarbone, sternum and ribs.

Though he has been back racing since the Tour of Norway, just two months after his crash, he had come up short in his pursuit of victory.

However, having taken eight podium finishes before yesterday - including 3rd and 2nd on the opening two stages of La Vuelta - he finally took the win he was searching for when stage 3 into Castelo Branco came down to a bunch sprint.

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Van Aert got the jump on the man who beat him into 2nd place on Sunday, Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck). He gently closed the door on the Australian, on the barriers to their right, and then held him off to take the victory. Groves was 2nd with Spanish veteran Jon Aberasturi (Euskaltel-Euskadi) getting up for 3rd.

Ireland's Eddie Dunbar (Team Jayco AlUla) and Rafferty finished in the bunch, in 35th and 55th. Rafferty was on the front in the closing stages as the speed ramped up, leading the EF Education-EasyPost riders as they sought to ensure team leader, Richard Carapaz, stayed out of trouble.

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Carapaz and Rafferty are in 31st and 33rd overall, both at 53 seconds, having lost that time in the opening stage TT and in time bonuses to race leader Van Aert. The Belgian, who already had the leader's jersey before his win on stage 3, has now extended his advantage after his 10-second win bonus on Monday.

Van Aert leads overall from stage 1 TT winner Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) by 13 seconds. Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) is in 3rd at 15 seconds; the Czech 22-year-old also leading the young rider classification.

Tuesday's stage should result in a general classification shake-up, and will pose the first big test for Ireland's Dunbar and Rafferty. The 170.5km stage finishes atop Pico Villuercas, a 14.6km cat 1 mountain averaging 6.2 per cent gradient.

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