Hola and welcome to live coverage of Stage 3 of La Vuelta - a rolling 188km from Ibi Cuidad del Juguete to Alicante which could well conclude with the first bunch sprint of the race.

No change in the general classification as Nico Roche retained his two-second lead over Nairo Quintana in the battle for red.

Jon Aberasturi (Caja-Rural) took fourth and Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Merida) fifth. Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) could only take seventh behind his leadout man Max Richeze.

That was a maiden Vuelta stage win for Bennett on the third day of his first appearance in the race.

Bennett won by more than a bike length ahead of Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo) and Luka Mezgec (Mitchelton-Scott).

Victory for Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe). Too easy for the Irishman.

Under the flamme rouge and it's still Sunweb and Bora battling for positions on the front, with Trek getting ready behind.

Sunweb bossing it on the front ahead of QuickStep and Bora.

Of course, there's always the towering Max Walscheid of Team Sunweb - he could sprint a surprise.

Bora-Hansgrohe and Ag2R-La Mondiale edge forward too. The French team have Clement Venturuni for the sprints.

Ferociously fast approach here with Astana also heavily prevalent on the front. Enrico Battaglin of Katusha-Alpecin has dropped his chain so will lose time today.

Into the last 5km and it's not long until Sam Bennett raises his hands aloft in celebration. Unless Luka Mezgec or Fabio Jakobsen prove otherwise...

Roundabouts galore as the peloton rampages through the suburbs of Alicante en route to the expected bunch sprint. Jumbo-Visma are keeping the pace very high - they don't have a sprinter but they're just keeping the pressure on while protecting their GC man Primoz Roglic.

The sprinter teams yet to show their hands as we enter the final 10 clicks.

Jumbo-Visma, Movistar and Sunweb are all on the front, with Astana present too.

The UAE trio decide it's not worth the candle and they have given up the chase. So, no Gaviria in the finale today, which will surely be contested between Sam Bennett, Fabio Jakobsen, Luka Mezgec and one of the Trek guys - John Degenkolb or Edward Teuns.

It's got rather blustery as the race enters the final 15km.

Sergio Higuita wins the intermediate sprint with a huge surge of pace. He did the same at the finish yesterday to lead the chasers home.

The gap has stretched back out to 50 seconds now for Gaviria and so it looks like it's not going to be his day. What a rotten start to the Vuelta for UAE-Team Emirates - Fabio Aru yesterday, aside.

The pack are on an uncategorised climb just before the intermediate sprint. It's a real leg-sapper which will knock the stuffing out of Gaviria and co, who are still 40 seconds back.