Wout van Aert secured his third consecutive victory in the 10th stage of the Vuelta a España on Tuesday, making an impressive debut in the Spanish Grand Tour. The Belgian rider from Visma-Lease a Bike collaborated with French cyclist Quentin Pacher during the stage, but Van Aert ultimately outpaced Pacher in the sprint to the finish line in Galicia.
The stage, spanning 160 kilometers from Ponteareas to Baiona, featured four categorized climbs and presented a challenging course after the previous day's rest. Despite the difficult conditions, Van Aert managed to claim the stage win, celebrating with his family, who were present to witness his triumph.
Australian Ben O'Connor maintained his lead in the general classification, with the peloton trailing Van Aert by five-and-a-half minutes. O'Connor’s team, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, allowed the breakaway group to establish a significant lead as it did not include any serious threats to the overall standings.
Van Aert, who had a disappointing Tour de France earlier this year, capitalized on his versatile skills to secure the win. After battling to gain a gap on the first climb, he and Pacher forged ahead. With 1.6 kilometers to go, Van Aert overtook Pacher in a decisive sprint. Marc Soler of UAE Team Emirates finished third, rounding out the podium. O'Connor continues to lead the race, holding a 3-minute 53-second advantage over Primož Roglič. The next stage, a 166.5-kilometer route, will start and end in Padron, Galicia.
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