Dan Martin went close to victory on stage three of the Volta a Catalunya in Spain on Wednesday, placing second at the summit finish of La Molina.
Martin made his move inside the final kilometre but while his surge distanced almost all the riders in the lead group, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) was able to hold his wheel and then came around him just before the line.
The two finished three seconds clear of the next riders, Adam Yates (Orica-Scott) and Tour de France runner-up Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale).
Martin’s Quick Step Floors squad had finished tenth in Tuesdays’ team time trial, losing two minutes and 13 seconds to the winners BMC Racing Team. As a result of Wednesday’s strong showing, Martin improved from 57th to 14th overall.
He is two minutes and two seconds behind the new overall leader Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing Team). The event continues Thursday with a 194.3 kilometre undulating stage to Igualada.
Volta a Catalunya, Spain (WorldTour)
Stage 3, Mataró - La Molina: 1, Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team) 188 kilometres in 5 hours 7 mins 12 secs; 2, D. Martin (Quick-Step Floors) same time; 3, A. Yates (Orica-Scott) at 3 secs; 4, R. Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale); 5, I. Zakarin (Katusha-Alpecin); 6, G. Thomas (Team Sky) all same time.
Other Irish: 92, P. Deignan (Team Sky) at 21 mins 56 secs.
General classification after stage 3: 1, Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing Team) 10 hours 24 mins 33 secs; 2, S. Sanchez (BMC Racing Team) at 41 secs; 3, G. Thomas (Team Sky) at 44 secs; 4, A. Valverde (Movistar Team) at 45 secs; 5, C. Froome (Team Sky) at 49 secs; 6, M. Soler (Movistar Team) at 1 min 10 secs.
Irish: 14, D. Martin (Quick-Step Floors) at 2 mins 2 secs; 91, P. Deignan (Team Sky) at 22 mins 37 secs.
