Etixx - Quick-Step riders Nikolas Maes and Niki Terpstra finished 11th and 17th, respectively, in the 158.4km 3rd Stage of La Vuelta a España, from Mijas to Málaga, on Monday.
The race came back together with 14km remaining in the stage. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff-Saxo) eventually won ahead of Nacer Bouhanni (Cofidis), and John Degenkolb (Giant-Alpecin). Bouhanni was able to contest the stage despite falling in a crash. Johan Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEDGE) remains race leader.
Martin Velits of Etixx - Quick-Step was part of an original eight-rider breakaway, but was swept up by the peloton after the challenging, Category 1 Puerto del León (16km, 5.2% average gradient, max ramp 15%) in the middle of the stage.
Etixx - Quick-Step looks next to 209.6km Stage 4, from Estepona to Vejer de la Frontera, on Tuesday. Though this stage is classified as medium mountain, there is an undulating final kilometers that could shake up the top finishers.
