Lastras takes Vuelta lead

Totana - Spanish cyclist Pablo Lastras won the third stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Monday to take the red jersey for the overall leader.

The Movistar rider completed the 163-km ride from Petrer to Totana in 3 hours, 58 minutes to finish 15 seconds ahead of three chasers in the searing Murcian heat.

Lastras, who dedicated the win to former team-mate Xavier Tondo, who died after a freak accident, broke away on his own about six kms from the finish of a leg that featured just two short climbs.

Lastras was emotional when talking about Tondo and the team's problems this year. Colombian team-mate Juan Mauricio Soler is still recovering from the serious injuries he suffered in a crash at the Tour of Switzerland in June.

Tondo was killed when he became wedged between his car and a garage door one month earlier.

"We were due," Lastras said. "It was a deserved victory ... I was well motivated to lift my arms."

Lastras' overall lead over Sylvain Chavanel of France is 20 seconds after the QuickStep cyclist led RadioShack's Markel Irizar and Ruslan Pydgornyy of Vacansoleil-DCM over the line in second.

Irizar is 1:08 behind in third while Pydgornyy is 1:24 in fourth.

Defending champion Vincenzo Nibali of Italy trails by 1:59 overall in seventh going into Tuesday's fourth stage, a 170-km leg finishing at the top of the 2 112-m high Sierra Nevada ski resort.

Standings after Monday's 3rd stage of the Tour of Spain, a 163km ride from Petrel to Totana:

1. Pablo Lastras (ESP/MOV) 3hr 58min 00sec
2. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/QST) at 0:15sec
3. Markel Irizar (ESP/RSH) 0:15.
4. Ruslan Pidgornyy (UKR/VAC) 0:15.
5. Nicolas Roche (IRL/ALM) 1min 43sec
6. Matti Breschel (DEN/RAB) 1:43.
7. Valerio Agnoli (ITA/LIQ) 1:43.
8. Francesco Gavazzi (ITA/LAM) 1:43.
9. Enrico Gasparotto (ITA/AST) 1:43.
10. Jan Bakelants (BEL/OLO) 1:43.
11. Bauke Mollema (NED/RAB) 1:43.
12. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 1:43.
13. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 1:43.
14. Gorka Verdugo (ESP/EUS) 1:43.
15. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL/OLO) 1:43.
16. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (DEN/LEO) 1:43.
17. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 1:43.
18. Davide Malacarne (ITA/QST) 1:43.
19. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 1:43.
20. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM) 1:43.
21. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR/HTC) 1:43.
22. Tiago Machado (POR/RSH) 1:43.
23. Eros Capecchi (ITA/LIQ) 1:43.
24. David Lopez (ESP/MOV) 1:43.
25. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/RAB) 1:43.
26. Joan Horrach (ESP/KAT) 1:43.
27. Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (ESP/GEO) 1:43.
28. Fredrik Kessiakoff (SWE/AST) 1:43.
29. Alberto Losada (ESP/KAT) 1:43.
30. Kevin Seeldraeyers (BEL/QST) 1:43.
31. Daniel Moreno (ESP/KAT) 1:43.
32. Janez Brajkovic (SLO/RSH) 1:43.
33. Maxime Monfort (BEL/LEO) 1:43.
34. Marzio Bruseghin (ITA/MOV) 1:43.
35. Mathias Frank (SWI/BMC) 1:43.
36. David Moncouti (FRA/COF) 1:43.
37. Mikel Nieve (ESP/EUS) 1:43.
38. Tanel Kangert (EST/AST) 1:43.
39. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/RSH) 1:43.
40. Sergio Pardilla (ESP/MOV) 1:43.
41. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) 1:43.
42. Christophe Le Mevel (FRA/GRM) 1:43.
43. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) 1:43.
44. Igor Anton (ESP/EUS) 1:43.
45. Carlos Sastre (ESP/GEO) 1:43.
46. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 1:43.
47. Carlos Barredo (ESP/RAB) 1:43.
48. Marco Marzano (ITA/LAM) 1:43.
49. Chris Anker Sorensen (DEN/SAX) 3:06.
50. Tom Boonen (BEL/QST) 3:06.
51. Lloyd Mondory (FRA/ALM) 3:06.
52. David De la Fuente (ESP/GEO) 3:06.
53. Marc De Maar (NED/QST) 3:06.
54. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/RAB) 3:06.
55. Koen de Kort (NED/SKS) 3:06.
56. David Bernabu (ESP/ACA) 3:06.
57. Vicente Reynes (ESP/OLO) 3:06.
58. Fabio Duarte (COL/GEO) 3:06.
59. Guillaume Bonnafond (FRA/ALM) 3:06.
60. Volodomir Gustov (UKR/SAX) 3:06.
61. Luis ngel Mat (ESP/COF) 3:06.
62. Thomas Rohregger (AUT/LEO) 3:06.
63. Juan Jose Oroz (ESP/EUS) 3:06.
64. Manuele Mori (ITA/LAM) 3:06.
65. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/BMC) 3:06.
66. Martin Kohler (SUI/BMC) 3:06.
67. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA/LAM) 3:06.
68. Johannes Frhlinger (GER/SKS) 3:06.
69. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) 3:06.
70. Alessandro Spezialetti (ITA/LAM) 3:06.
71. Daniele Bennati (ITA/LEO) 3:06.
72. Heinrich Haussler (AUS/GRM) 3:06.
73. Egoi Martinez (ESP/EUS) 3:06.
74. Serguey Lagutin (UZB/VAC) 3:06.
75. Yoann Bagot (FRA/COF) 3:06.
76. Wout Poels (NED/VAC) 3:06.
77. Andrey Mizurov (KAZ/AST) 3:06.
78. Mauro Santambrogio (ITA/BMC) 3:06.
79. Matthieu Perget (FRA/ALM) 3:06.
80. Damiano Caruso (ITA/LIQ) 3:06.
81. Antonio Piedra (ESP/ACA) 3:06.
82. Johan Van Summeren (BEL/GRM) 3:06.
83. Jos Luis Roldn (ESP/ACA) 3:06.
84. Francis de Greef (BEL/OLO) 3:06.
85. Kristof Vandewalle (BEL/QST) 3:06.
86. Alexandr Dyachenko (KAZ/AST) 3:06.
87. Johann Tschopp (SUI/BMC) 3:06.
88. Thomas Lovkvist (SWE/SKY) 3:06.
89. Davide Vigano (ITA/LEO) 3:06.
90. Andrew Talansky (USA/GRM) 3:06.
91. Andre Kashechkin (KAZ/AST) 3:06.
92. Robert Kišerlovski (CRO/AST) 3:06.
93. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 3:06.
94. Josep Jufre (ESP/AST) 3:06.
95. Gert Dockx (BEL/OLO) 3:06.
96. Eduard Vorganov (RUS/KAT) 3:06.
97. Yevgeni Petrov (RUS/AST) 3:06.
98. Denis Menchov (RUS/GEO) 3:06.
99. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT) 3:06.
100. Paul Martens (GER/RAB) 3:06.
101. Cyril Dessel (FRA/ALM) 3:06.
102. Dimitri Champion (FRA/ALM) 3:06.
103. Dominik Nerz (GER/LIQ) 3:06.
104. Murilo Fischer (BRA/GRM) 3:06.
105. Luca Paolini (ITA/KAT) 3:06.
106. Oscar Freire (ESP/RAB) 3:06.
107. Dmitriy Kozontchuk (RUS/GEO) 3:06.
108. Juan Manuel Garate (ESP/RAB) 6:26.
109. Michael Albasini (SUI/HTC) 7:28.
110. Tom Slagter (NED/RAB) 7:28.
111. Nicki Srensen (DEN/SAX) 7:28.
112. Geoffroy Lequatre (FRA/RSH) 7:28.
113. Adam Hansen (AUS/OLO) 7:28.
114. John Degenkolb (GER/HTC) 7:28.
115. Rafal Majka (POL/SAX) 7:28.
116. Aitor Prez (ESP/LAM) 7:28.
117. Oliver Zaugg (SUI/LEO) 7:28.
118. Peter Sagan (SVK/LIQ) 7:28.
119. Morris Possoni (ITA/SKY) 7:28.
120. Xavier Zandio (ESP/SKY) 7:28.
121. Michal Golas (POL/VAC) 7:28.
122. Santo Anza (ITA/VAC) 7:28.
123. Francesco Bellotti (ITA/LIQ) 7:28.
124. Inaki Isasi (ESP/EUS) 7:28.
125. Bert Grabsch (GER/HTC) 7:28.
126. Sebastian Lang (GER/OLO) 7:28.
127. Daniele Righi (ITA/LAM) 7:28.
128. Chris Sutton (AUS/SKY) 8:57.
129. Julien Fouchard (FRA/COF) 8:57.
130. Simon Geschke (GER/SKS) 8:57.
131. David Blanco (ESP/GEO) 8:57.
132. Mauro Da Dalto (ITA/LIQ) 8:57.
133. Sergio Paulinho (POR/RSH) 8:57.
134. Dario Cataldo (ITA/QST) 8:57.
135. Alan Marangoni (ITA/LIQ) 8:57.
136. Pim Ligthart (NED/VAC) 8:57.
137. Jurgen Van De Walle (BEL/OLO) 8:57.
138. Nico Sijmens (BEL/COF) 8:57.
139. Nikolas Maes (BEL/QST) 8:57.
140. Angel Madrazo (ESP/MOV) 8:57.
141. Jorge Azanza (ESP/EUS) 8:57.
142. Pierre Cazaux (FRA/EUS) 8:57.
143. Dario Cioni (ITA/SKY) 10:25.
144. Aliaksandr Kuschynski (BLR/KAT) 10:25.
145. Tom Veelers (NED/SKS) 10:25.
146. Roy Curvers (NED/SKS) 10:25.
147. Matthias Brandle (AUT/GEO) 10:25.
148. Jaroslaw Marycz (POL/SAX) 10:25.
149. Steve HOUAN (FRA/ALM) 10:25.
150. Jos Alberto Bentez (ESP/ACA) 10:25.
151. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (NOR/SKY) 10:25.
152. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/LEO) 10:25.
153. Stijn Devolder (BEL/VAC) 10:25.
154. Yukihiro Doi (JPN/SKS) 10:25.
155. Manuel Quinziato (ITA/BMC) 12:19.
156. Juan Jos Haedo (ARG/SAX) 12:19.
157. Nicolas Edet (FRA/COF) 12:19.
158. Andreas Kloden (GER/RSH) 12:19.
159. Andreas Klier (GER/GRM) 12:19.
160. Tyler Farrar (USA/GRM) 12:19.
161. Olivier Kaisen (BEL/OLO) 12:19.
162. Ian Stannard (ENG/SKY) 12:19.
163. Karsten Kroon (NED/BMC) 12:19.
164. Matteo Carrara (ITA/VAC) 12:19.
165. Kevin De Weert (BEL/QST) 12:19.
166. Robert Wagner (GER/LEO) 12:19.
167. Stuart O'Grady (AUS/LEO) 12:19.
168. Ivan Santaromita (ITA/BMC) 12:19.
169. Martin Velits (SVK/HTC) 12:50.
170. Mark Cavendish (GBR/HTC) 12:50.
171. Leigh Howard (AUS/HTC) 12:50.
172. Juan Jos Lobato (ESP/ACA) 12:50.
173. Jess Rosendo (ESP/ACA) 12:50.
174. Matthew Busche (USA/RSH) 12:50.
175. Mads Christensen (DEN/SAX) 12:50.
176. Taylor Phinney (USA/BMC) 12:50.
177. Tony Martin (GER/HTC) 12:50.
178. Nlson Oliveira (POR/RSH) 12:50.
179. Marcel Kittel (GER/SKS) 12:50.
180. Antonio Cabello (ESP/ACA) 12:50.
181. Albert Timmer (NED/SKS) 12:50.
182. Yury Trofimov (RUS/KAT) 12:50.
183. Aleksejs Saramotins (LAT/COF) 12:50.
184. Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU/MOV) 12:50.
185. Jos Vicente Toribio (ESP/ACA) 12:50.
186. Amets Txurruka (ESP/EUS) 12:50.
187. Adrian Palomares (ESP/ACA) 12:50.
188. Matteo Montaguti (ITA/ALM) 12:50.
189. Mauricio Ardila (COL/GEO) 12:50.
190. David Le Lay (FRA/ALM) 12:50.
191. Vicente Garcia Acosta (ESP/MOV) 12:50.
192. Jonas Jrgensen (DEN/SAX) 12:50.
193. Nick Nuyens (BEL/SAX) 12:50.
194. Sep Vanmarcke (BEL/GRM) 12:50.
195. Martijn Keizer (NED/VAC) 12:50.
196. Nicolas Vogondy (FRA/COF) 12:50.
197. Alexandre Geniez (FRA/SKS) 23:16.