Today’s 3rd stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico saw the peloton move 190 km from Indicatore to Narni Scalo on a hilly stage with a 1 km climb averaging 4.8 % coming 3 km from the finish. In a repeat of yesterday’s stage the riders had to put up with torrential conditions.

Barely 500 metres into the stage, Cesare Benedetti (NetApp-Endura), Garikoitz Bravo (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Francesco Failli (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) established a breakaway and gradually the front trio built up a considerable lead.

With 80 km still to go, the lead had been expanded to nearly 8 minutes, but then the hilly parts of the stage started, and Bravo was dropped on the only categorized climb of the day. Bravo was swiftly swallowed by the pack and with 50 km to go the duo in front enjoyed a lead of less than a minute.

Cannondale sets furious pace

20 km from the finish line the peloton gobbled up Benedetti and Failli as Cannondale tried to impose a tremendous pace upon the peloton in order to deter all attempts at another breakaway. 

In fact the continued accelerations of Cannondale split the bunch into several minor groups, albeit briefly.

Juan Antonio Flecha (Vacansoleil-DCM), Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) and Lars Boom (Team Blanco) took turns trying their luck, but it all came to nothing as the peloton prepared for the expected clash of the sprinters. 

At the end of the day Peter Sagan (Cannondale) took the honours, defeating Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) and André Greipel (Lotto-Belisol). Cavendish seemed to have positioned himself perfectly on the wheels of Sagan but he couldn’t quite manage to surpass the Slovak.

Cavendish was able to hold on to the leader’s jersey, but he is expected to lose on tomorrow’s mountain stage.

Stage 3, result:

1 Peter Sagan - Cannondale

2 Mark Cavendish - Omega Pharma-Quick Step

3 André Greipel - Lotto-Belisol

4 Gerald Ciolek - MTN-Qhubeka

5 Matthew Goss - Orica GreenEDGE
6 Davide Cimolai - Lampre-Merida
7 Tyler Farrar - Garmin-Sharp
8 Thor Hushovd - BMC Racing Team
9 Manuel Belletti - AG2R La Mondiale
10 Simon Geschke - Team Argos-Shimano

General classification

1 Mark Cavendish - Omega Pharma-Quick Step