Quintana wins Catalonia stage

Madrid -Colombia's Nairo Quintana won the 180km third stage of the Tour of Catalonia from Vidreres to the Vallter 2000 ski resort on Wednesday.

Quintana pipped Spaniards Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez in a tough uphill finish to claim the win.

The Colombian's Movistar team-mate Valverde took over the leader's jersey from Belgium's Gianni Meersman and sits four seconds ahead of both Joaquim Rodriguez and Bradley Wiggins.

Last year's Tour de France winner Wiggins had attempted to break clear and win the stage with one kilometre remaining, but was quickly pegged back by Quintana.

Thursday's fourth stage is the longest of the race, a 217.7km ride from Llanars to Port-Aine which will again conclude with a mountaintop finish.

The seven-stage race concludes on Sunday.

Results after Wednesday's third stage of the Tour of Catalonia, a 180.1km ride from Vidreres to Vallter 2000 on Wednesday:

Stage:

1. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 5hr 01min 20sec, 2. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) at 7sec, 3. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) same time, 4. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) s.t., 5. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 9, 6. Peter Stetina (USA/GRM) s.t., 7. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) s.t., 8. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) s.t., 9. Rigoberto Uran (COL/SKY) s.t., 10. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/ALM) 21

Overall:

1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 12hr 45min 22sec, 2. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) at 6sec, 3. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 10, 4. Michele Scarponi (ITA/LAM) 13, 5. Przemyslaw Niemiec (POL/LAM) 13, 6. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 22, 7. Robert Gesink (NED/BLA) 36, 8. David Lopez (ESP/SKY) 36, 9. Daniel Martin (IRL/GRM) 36, 10. Peter Stetina (USA/GRM) 41