Valverde wins but Movistar penalised

Spain’s Alejando Valverde won stage three of the Volta a Catalunya on a day which began with his Movistar team controversially sanctioned for pushing during Tuesday’s team time-trial.

Valverde and his Movistar team-mates were belatedly penalised by race officials, with BMC Racing awarded victory in the team test against the clock and Ben Hermans inheriting the race lead from Valverde.

The Spaniard responded by winning stage three, accelerating away from Ireland’s Dan Martin (QuickStep Floors) to win the 188.3-kilometres mountainous route from Mataro to La Molina.

Adam Yates (Orica-Scott) was third, three seconds behind, alongside fellow Briton Geraint Thomas (Team Sky), who was sixth.

American Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing) was eighth, also three seconds behind Valverde, to take the overall lead.