MIRADOR DE EZARO, Spain (AP) — Alexandre Geniez of France held off an attack by the title favorites on a brutal final climb to win the third stage of the Spanish Vuelta on Monday.
Geniez completed the hilly 176.4-kilometer (109.6-mile) ride along the Atlantic coast finishing at the Mirador de Ezaro summit in 4 hours, 28 minutes, 36 seconds. The FDJ rider collapsed to the ground after recording his second career win on the Spanish grand tour, needing several minutes to rest before stepping onto the podium.
Geniez compared the short, but very steep ascent to a "little Alpe d'Huez," one of the classic mountain climbs of the Tour de France.