Vuelta Stage 3: Peter Sagan wins in Malaga

Peter Sagan of Tinkof-Saxo has won Stage 3 of the Vuelta in Malaga, beating Nacer Bouhanni of Cofidis and Giant-Alpecin's John Degenkolb to the line at the end of the158.4km stage from Mijas.

Astana, without Vincenzo Nibali after he was disqualified on Sunday evening after taking a tow from his team car after he tried to rejoin the peloton after a crash, found themselves another man down after Paolo Tiralongo, also caught up in that crash, abandoned.

It was Sagan's first Grand Tour stage win since the 2013 Tour de France, although his consistently high placings in stages of that race have sen him win the points classsification in that race for the past four years.

“I’m very happy for this victory because I think it’s good for the entire team," he said. "This is a good start to the Vuelta a España. And finally I had a victory!

"I’m always trying to get the win and someday it has to come. And it did today, also thanks to my teammates, who were pulling all day and I’m very grateful for their effort.

"I’ve had many second places but you cannot always finish second. So today I finished first. That’s how cycling is, sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down. I was searching for a victory during the Tour and now it has come.”

Esteban Chaves of Orica-GreenEdge retains the race leader's red jersey.