The Italian national champion Elia Viviani won the first sprint stage of the Vuelta a España on Monday, demonstrating raw speed to edge out Giacomo Nizzolo and the world champion Peter Sagan on a false-flat finish in Alhaurín de la Torre. Team Sky’s Michal Kwiatkowski finished safely in the bunch to retain the red leader’s jersey at the Spanish Grand Tour.

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Before stage three the race’s technical director, Kiko Garcia, issued a warning to the fast men. “It is supposed to be the first sprinters’ stage,” he said. “But they should be wary of the course, with a long climb again at the start.”

There was no need to worry. After a scenic departure from seaside Mijas, a tepid breakaway led by the Frenchman Pierre Rolland never seriously threatened the peloton on a balmy afternoon in southern Spain. While the lead group was first to the summit category one Puerto del Madrono and category three Puerto del Viento – extending the polka dot jersey lead of Cofidis’s Luis Ángel Maté – the break never looked capable of staying away.

Jordi Simon from the local team Burgos-BH made several valiant attacks on his own but his hopes were extinguished as the race again passed a town called Mijas – this time a hillside citadel village. The Austrian Lukas Pöstlberger then succeeded where Simon had failed, managing to establish enough of a solo lead to make the peloton nervy. He was eventually caught with six kilometres remaining, setting up an exciting bunch sprint on the outskirts of Málaga.

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After controlling the race all day Quick-Step Floors executed perfectly in the final kilometre to deliver Viviani to the line. The Italian won the sprint jersey at the Giro d’Italia this year and his performance on Monday suggested he could mirror that feat in Spain.

“It was beautiful,” said Viviani, a 2016 Olympic gold medallist on the track, following his victory. “I think I have no words again for the team. Being the strongest is always difficult because no one helps us to pull.” The sprinter has been in ominous form, winning the EuroEyes Cyclassics in Hamburg only last week. “I’m really happy. This wonderful season continues.”

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There were no significant changes to the general classification rankings. Kwiatkowski holds a 14-second advantage from Movistar’s Spanish veteran Alejandro Valverde, while Britain’s Simon Yates is 37 seconds away from the red jersey.

The Vuelta continues on Tuesday with a gruelling 161.4 km stage, as the race leaves the Costa del Sol and heads inland towards Granada. The stage features two category one climbs, the Carretera de la Cabra (goat’s road) ascent and a summit finish at Sierra de la Alfaguara.