"Nibali got a flat tire in the final circuit so I gave him my wheel."

Alessandro Vanotti explained the hectic moments for Astana after stage three at Tirreno-Adriatico. Vanotti with other four teammates chased five kilometers to bring Nibali back to the group before the uphill finish in Arezzo.

Teammate Andrei Grivko finished eighth in a selective sprint, and finished in the same time as stage winner Greg Van Avermaet of Belgium.

Grivko now sits tenth overall, 17 seconds behind new race leader Van Avermaet.