Thomas De Gendt (Lotto-Soudal) solo'd to victory on the third stage of the Volta a Catalunya.
The third stage of the Spanish race was 153 kilometres long after it was shortened due to risks of avalanches because of the heavy snowfall of the last days
Five riders formed the breakaway, Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal), Lluis Mas (Caja Rural) and Clement Chevrier (AG2R La Mondiale) attacked and were oined by Mikel Bizkarra (Euskadi) and Pablo Torres (Burgos BH).
They created a gap of almost three minutes ahead of the peloton. With 40 kilometres to go, only Mas, De Gendt and Bizkarra survived and the Belgian attacked.
Behind, Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) attacked from the peloton and was followed by Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ), Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott) and Mathias Frank (AG2R La Mondiale). They built up a lead but Dan Martin was reeled back in by the chasing peloton.
Meanwhile De Gendt crossed the finish line and took the lead in the General Classification.
The final sprint in the chasing peloton was chaotic and crash that affected riders including Alex Howes (EF Education First-Drapac), Adam Yates (Mitchelton Scott) and Daniel Navarro (Cofidis).
VIDEO: 2018 Volta a Catalunya Final Kilometres
2018 Volta a Catalunya Stage 3 Top 10
1 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal 4:14:48
2 Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:20
3 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
4 Mathias Frank (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale
5 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
6 Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Bahrain-Merida
7 Maximilian Schachmann (Ger) Quick-Step Floors
8 Egan Bernal (Col) Team Sky
9 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
10 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors
2018 Volta a Catalunya Stage 3 Top 10
1 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal 12:34:54
2 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team 0:00:23
3 Daryl Impey (RSA) Mitchelton-Scott 0:00:29
4 Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton-Scott
5 Thibaut Pinot (Fra) Groupama-FDJ 0:00:31
6 Jay McCarthy (Aus) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:33
7 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 0:00:35
8 Matej Mohoric (Slo) Bahrain-Merida
9 Bob Jungels (Lux) Quick-Step Floors
10 Eduard Prades Reverter (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias