Colombia may be mostly known for its climbers but the team also has an upcoming sprinter in its ranks. Yesterday world points champion Edwin Avila proved his skills on the road when he finished 8th in the bunch sprint on a day when his teammate Miguel Angel Rubiano also tested his legs for the hillier stages.

Team Colombia enjoyed another intense day in Giro d’Italia stage 3, 187 km from Armagh to Dublin, the last one in Ireland before the Corsa Rosa returns to Italy. The finish lime in Irish capital Dublin saw the Escarabajos clinch their first top-10 placement with Edwin Avila, who moved up in the front position in the final kilometres and finally placed eight in the sprint won by German Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano). Leonardo Duque placed 20th on the day, while Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEDGE) keeps wearing the leader’s Maglia Rosa, and with every chance it will stay with him until stage 5 uphill finish in Viggiano.

The first real climbs are still to come, but the Escarabajos, with Valerio Tebaldi and Oscar Pellicioli calling the shots from the team cars, wouldn’t want to wait that long to start the action: after Jeffry Romero in stage 2, it was Miguel Angel Rubiano‘s time to get in the break along with four more athletes, Maarten Tjallingii (Belkin), Gert Dockx (Lotto-Belisol), Giorgio Cecchinel (Neri Sottoli) and Yonder Godoy (Androni Giocattoli).

On another heavy clouded day, with wind and rain pouring on the ahtletes at times, the five breakaway riders managed to open a 6-minute gap, but the peloton led by Orica kept things under control, closing on the escapees with less than 10 km to the line.

“The break got clear at the first attempt, and it was good, because I was determined to be part of it today, partly because I wanted to show and honor this jersey I wear, and also because I needed to test my legs ahead of next week, when there might be several breakaway chances," Rubiano said. "I had some good feedbacks, and staying at the front I kept away of any risk in a stage like this, so everything was good after all.”

Edwin Avila was satisfied with his first top-10 spot at the Giro:

“I already managed to improve my last year’s best, 11th place, and I am glad as the situation did not look brilliant just a few kilometres out: the peloton was not keeping a very hard pace, and was spread through the whole road, so there was no room to gain positions.

"With 3 km to go, Carlos Quintero called me on his wheel and did a huge job in taking me at the front. It was an extra effort I paid a little in the sprint, but that also means I still have significant room for improvement.”

Today the Giro d’Italia will enjoy the first rest day, in order to travel back to Southern Italy, where the race will restart on Tuesday with stage 4, Giovinazzo-Bari.