After his crash in yesterday's stage of the Giro d'Italia, it has been confirmed that Giampaolo Caruso has a small fracture in his wrist. The in-form Italian who finished 4th in Liege-Bastogne-Liege, got through today's stage and still hopes that he will be able to continue in the race.

After yesterday’s hard crash from Katusha rider Giampaolo Caruso, all eyes were on the Italian rider and how he would be able to deal with an injured wrist.

Team director José Azevedo assessed the results from Caruso:

“Giampaolo felt some pain but he was able to finish the stage and he rode well all day in the peloton. He has a strong mental mindset and is very professional. We understand if he has to stop but he dealt with the pain today and his attitude is very good.

"He wants to stay in the race, he wants to keep riding and he is dedicated to the team to help Joaquim. He’s worked many months preparing for this race and he does not want to go home.

"We can use his situation as an example for the entire team – when you really want something, you fight for it. We know he still needs to be careful and we know his problem is not over just because he finished this stage.”

An MRI scan was performed in the Antrim Area Hospital on Sunday. It revealed a very small fracture in the left scaphoid. The fracture is incomplete, which made the medical team of Katusha, in consultation with the radiologists from both Antrim and Belfast Kingsbridge Hospitals decide to let Caruso start the stage. On Wednesday he will have a new scan to update his condition. However, if he has too much pain he will be forced to stop the race.

It was another day for the sprinters at the Giro d’Italia, this time with stage 3 from Armagh to Dublin at 187km. And for a second day the rain came down for much of the stage, making for difficult conditions in the peloton. A second sprint finish gave the win to the same rider as Giant-Shimano’s Marcel Kittel claimed another stage win, this one coming on his birthday. In the final sprint Kittel found his way to the front and nipped Ben Swift (Sky) on the line to win by a wheel width after four-and-a-half hours of racing. Third place went to Cannondale’s Elia Viviani. 

There was no change in the overall with Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEdge) keeping the maglia rosa for another day.

A breakaway of five riders went soon after the start and held an advantage for most of the stage. It was only as the main field drew closer to Dublin that the sprint teams went to work for their fast men and brought the gap down to the escapees. By 7 km to go the peloton was all together and speeds were ramped high for the eventual sprint.

Azevedo reported: “There were many crashes today but none for us and despite the rain, everyone stayed with Joaquim and kept him safe.” 

It’s time to say goodbye to Ireland after three stages marked the beginning of the Italian tour.  The Giro d’Italia takes a rest day on Monday to move everyone to southern Italy. Racing resumes on Tuesday with stage 4, leaving from Giovinazzo to arrive in Bari after 112 km of racing in a flat stage with no climbs, making it another day for the sprinters.