The third stage of the cycling Vuelta was won by Taaramäe
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From the beginning, Taaramäe was a member of the eight-member escape, which developed a nine-minute lead. In a 7.6-kilometer climb, he bounced off his opponents and won by 21 seconds ahead of second-placed Joe Dombrowski of the USA. Kenny Elissonde from France finished third.
The 34-year-old Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert driver scored his third Grand Tour victory on his career. He recorded the first one on the Vuelta ten years ago. He last won in 2016 at the Giro d’Italia.
???? Leaders after stage 3 | Leaders after stage 3
❤️???????? Rein Taaramäe
???????????? Rein Taaramäe
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⚪???????? @Eganbernal???????????? @TeamEmiratesUAE
???????????? @julencycling #LaVuelta21 pic.twitter.com/ob27sjlB3P– The Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 16, 2021
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Teammate Jan Hirt, who today lost three and a half minutes in 53rd place and is 57th overall, took the lead in the standings, 25 seconds ahead of Elissond. He was the second Estonian in history to wear the race leader’s jersey at Grand Tour events. The first was Jaan Kirsipuu at the Tour de France in 1999.
Estonian cyclist Rein Taaramäe
Alvaro Barrientos placeholder image, ČTK / AP
The third is the current leader and winner of the previous two years Primož Roglič in the overall classification with a loss of 30 seconds. The Slovenian finished one minute and 48 seconds behind the winner today with most other favorites.
Zdeněk Štybar finished the stage in 107th place with a deficit of thirteen minutes for Taaramäe and is in 114th place overall. The fifth rider of the introductory time trial, Josef Černý, was 181st and fell from 160th place to 160th place.
| Cyklistický etapový závod Vuelta – 3rd stage (Santo Domingo de Silos – Espinosa de los Monteros, 202.8 km): |
| 1. Taaramäe (Est./Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) 5:16:57 |
| 2. Dombrowski (USA/SAE Team Emirates) -21 |
| 3. Elissonde (Fr./Trek-Segafredo) -36 |
| 4. Calmejane (Fr./AG2R- Citroën) -1: 16 |
| 5. Mas (Šp./Movistar) -1: 45 |
| 6. López (Kol./Movistar) |
| 7. Roglič (Slovenian / Jumbo-Visma) |
| 8. Yates (Brit./Ineos Grenadiers) |
| 9. Landa (Sp. / Bahrain Victorious) |
| 10. Ciccone (It./Trek-Segafredo) all -1: 48 |
| … 53. Hirt (ČR / Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert) -3: 35 |
| 107. Stybar -13: 11 |
| 181. Černý (both CR / Deceuninck-Quick Step) -21: 53. |
| Running order: |
| 1. Taaramäe 9:25:44 |
| 2. Elissonde -25 |
| 3. Roglič -30 |
| 4. Calmejane -35 |
| 5. But -45 |
| 6. López -51 |
| 7. Valverde (Sp. / Movistar) |
| 8. Ciccone |
| 9. Bernal (Col./Ineos Grenadiers) all -57 |
| 10. Land -1: 09 |
| …57. Hirt -4:03 |
| 114. Stybar -13: 29 |
| 160. Black -20: 45 |
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