Belgian rider Philippe Gilbert won the third stage of the Tour of Spain cycle race and also took the overall leader jersey on Monday.

The Belgian, who rides for the Omega Pharma Lotto cycling team was the strongest rider on a day when three main factors influences the final result.

The first main factor was a temperature of almost 40 degrees centigrade that sapped the riders' strength on the 157.3 kilometer stage between Marbella and Malaga.

The second was the first category climb, the Puerto de Leon, a mountain of 905 meters in height, which the riders had to scale twice in the second half of the race.

That allowed Xacobeo Galicia rider Serafin Martinez to escape from the peloton (the main group) and open up a lead of almost two minutes.

However, after a hair-raising descent on narrow roads, the peloton was able to regroup on the perfect surface of the motorway into Malaga and their speed chased down the Spanish rider just before the final kilometre of the stage.

It was here the final factor came into play. A sharp climb of just under two kilometres in length, which was perfect for Gilbert, a rider who has honed his skills on the hilly roads of the Belgian Ardennes region.

He launched a ferocious attack on the steep climb onto the finish line, leaving the shattered peloton trailing in his wake.

Only Joaquin Rodriguez was able to stay close to Gilbert, but never looked like catching the Belgian, who took the stage by three seconds.

Sprinter Mark Cavandish, who had led after the first two stages of the Vuelta had been left behind on the last ascent of the Puerto de Leon and Gilbert's efforts also earn him the overall leader's jersey.

Tuesday's stage takes the riders on another hilly 183 kilometer stage between Malaga and Valdeperas de Jaen. It is another day when the heat could again play its part.

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