ALICANTE, Spain -- Sam Bennett won the third stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Monday, with fellow Irishman Nicolas Roche keeping his overall lead ahead of Nairo Quintana.
Bennett dominated the final sprint in the 188-kilometer (117-mile) mostly flat stage from Ibi to Alicante, beating Edward Theuns and Luka Mezgec to the finish line.
There were no major changes to the overall standings as Roche and Quintana finished in the main peloton. Roche will keep a two-second lead going into Tuesday’s 175-kilometer (109-mile) ride from Cullera to El Puig on Spain’s eastern coast.
It is the first time that Ireland has had both the stage winner and overall leader at the Vuelta on the same day.
Quintana, the 2016 Vuelta winner, was briefly held by a mechanical issue early in Monday’s stage but easily recovered to rejoin the peloton.