Vuelta a España 2008/3. stage

Result of the 3rd stage
Stage winner		Tom Boonen	QST	4:25:24 h
Second		Daniele Bennati	LIQ	equal time
Third		Erik Zabel	MRM	equal time
Fourth		Koldo Fernández	EUS	equal time
fifth		Nicolas Roche	CA	equal time
Sixth		Greg van Avermaet	SIL	equal time
seventh		Leonardo Duque	COF	equal time
Eighth		Sébastien Hinault	CA	equal time
Ninth		Tom Stamsnijder	GST	equal time
Tenth		Lloyd Mondory	ALM	equal time
Intermediate results after the 3rd stage
Overall rating		Daniele Bennati	LIQ	8:56:27 h
Second		Alejandro Valverde	GCE	+ 0:07 min
Third		Tom Boonen	QST	+ 0:10 min
Scoring		Alejandro Valverde	GCE	25 p.
Second		Tom Boonen	QST	25 p.
Third		Erik Zabel	MRM	25 p.
Mountain scoring		Jesus Rosendo	ACA	8 p.
Second		Manuel Ortega	ACA	6 p.
Third		Paolo Bettini	QST	4 p.
Combination scoring		Egoi Martínez	EUS	31 P.
Second		Paolo Bettini	QST	36 P.
Third		Manuel Ortega	ACA	111 P.
Team evaluation		Caisse d'Epargne	GCE	26:33:46 h
Second		Euskaltel-Euskadi	EUS	+ 0:01 min
Third		Quick Step	QST	+ 0:03 min

The 3rd stage of the Vuelta a España 2008 on September 1st led over 168.6 kilometers from Jaén to Córdoba . As on the previous day, there were two sprint classifications and a third category mountain classification to be completed.

Right at the start, the Spaniard Manuel Ortega pulled away from the field and started a solo escape. After 15 kilometers he already had a lead of six minutes on the main field. His maximum lead was over 15 and he was therefore in the virtual golden jersey for a long time , as he was only 48 seconds behind the leader in the overall standings. On his escape he was able to win both intermediate sprints and the only mountain classification of the day. Here Jesus Rosendo also secured points and was able to defend the red jersey of the leader in the mountain classification for another day. In the fight for the gold jersey , Daniele Bennati was able to secure four bonus seconds in each of the two sprint classifications .

Paolo Bettini attacked on the climb to Alto de San Jerónimio and was able to break away from the peloton . With 20 kilometers to go, he ended Manuel Ortega's attempt to escape and was soon the sole leader. A group around Alejandro Valverde and Davide Rebellin had formed out of the main peloton and drove between the front and the field for a while. 15 kilometers from the finish, Bettini was also placed and the field drove towards the finish line at high speed.

Tom Boonen won the mass sprint ahead of Bennati, from whose slipstream he had broken away. Bennati got a further twelve seconds bonus and took over the top of the overall classification.

Sprint ratings

• 1st intermediate sprint in Espejo (kilometer 88.2) (360 m above sea level)

First		Manuel Ortega	ACA	4 p.
Second		Daniele Bennati	LIQ	2 p.
Third		Manuel Quinziato	LIQ	1 P.

• 2nd intermediate sprint near Córdoba (kilometer 123.1) (120 m above sea level)

First		Manuel Ortega	ACA	4 p.
Second		Daniele Bennati	LIQ	2 p.
Third		Claudio Corioni	LIQ	1 P.

• Arrival in Córdoba (130 m above sea level)

First		Tom Boonen	QST	25 p.
Second		Daniele Bennati	LIQ	20 p.
Third		Erik Zabel	MRM	16 p.
Fourth		Koldo Fernández	EUS	14 p.
fifth		Nicolas Roche	CA	12 p.
Sixth		Greg van Avermaet	SIL	10 p.
seventh		Leonardo Duque	COF	9 p.
Eighth		Sébastien Hinault	CA	8 p.
Ninth		Tom Stamsnijder	GST	7 p.
Tenth		Lloyd Mondory	ALM	6 p.
11.		Renaud Dion	CA	5 p.
12.		Xavier Florencio	BTL	4 p.
13.		Alessandro Ballan	LAM	3 p.
14th		Juan Antonio Flecha	RAB	2 p.
15th		Nikita Jeskow	TCS	1 P.

Mountain ratings

• Alto de San Jerónimio, 3rd category (km 142.2) (550 m above sea level)

First		Manuel Ortega	ACA	6 p.
Second		Paolo Bettini	QST	4 p.
Third		Jesus Rosendo	ACA	2 p.
Fourth		Egoi Martínez	EUS	1 P.