MTK Qhubeka's Gerald Ciolek won the third stage of Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol.
Fabio Silvestre (Trek Factory), Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen), Martijn Tusveld (Rabobank Development) and Haritz Orbe (Euskadi) broke away in the opening kilometres of this 183.8 kilometres stage from Sanlúcor La Mayor to Seville and took a lead of 2.48 with 98kms gone.
That was down to 1.50 thanks to some work from Team Sky who have been on the front in every stage of the race, who were chasing Theuns, Tusveld and Orbe after Silvestre had been shelled out of the back with just over forty kilometres left.
Twenty kilometres later and the roads being now mainly flat on the run in to the Calle Secoya, the lead of the trio was under a minute.
With eleven kilometres to go, Theuns and Tusveld left Orbe in the hope of taking something from the race. Threy lasted out front for five more kilometres before Belkin and Sky led the pack past them.
There was a crash with three kilometres to go which held up some of the riders and reduced the peloton to around forty riders.
Geraint Thomas led Team Sky into the final kilometre. but he was passed by Nikias Arndt of Giant-Shimano, going for a long victory. That did not work and Gerald Ciolek of MTK Qhubeka and Roy Jans of Wanty-Groupe came over the finish line together.
Jans thought he had won but the race commisars decided otherwise and awarded Ciolek, who said that he did not see Jans, the victory in 4.17.39 ahead of Jans, Moren Hoffland of Belkin, Nikias Arndt of Giant-Shimano and Tom Van Asbroeck of Topsport Vlaanderen.
Race leader - Alejandro Valverde finished safely and takes a lead of twenty seconds going into the final stage.
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