Elia Viviani was the first to cross the line in today’s third stage of the 2019 Giro d’Italia, but he was ultimately relegated by race commissioners for a bad sprint. In a review of the sprint, Viviani made a distinct movement to the left inside the final 200m, causing Moschetti to stop pedalling and forcing Démare to veer left to avoid Moschetti.
Stage 3 was a rolling route of 220km from Vinci to Ortebello. The route crossed the hills around Siena before reaching the plain around Grosseto. After one last hillock, the Poggio l’Apparita categorised climb, the final 15km to the finish were pan-flat, though with some turns in the final kilometer.
Sho Hatsuyama, Japanese national road champion and riding in his first Grand Tour, attacked in the first kilometer of the stage and proceeded to ride off the front for 144km. Hatsuyama was a late addition to the Nippo Vini Fantini Faizanè team, after his teammate Alejandro Osorio was knocked out of the race by tendonitis.
Even after the catch with 75km remaining, the peloton remained compact until the final 12-15km of the stage.
Some minor crashes and bike changes inside the final kilometers affected sprint teams. Battaglin crashed at the 3km mark, holding up Knox and a number of Team Ineos riders, including Tao Geoghegan Hart.
Awaiting official confirmation, it appears that Carapaz (MOV) has lost 46s and Geoghegan Hart (INS) conceded 1:28.
Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo – Visma) finished with the peloton to continue wearing the Maglia Rosa of leader of the General Classification.
“With only one rider in the breakaway, it made it a very long stage,” said Roglic at the finish. “It enabled me to enjoy the Maglia Rosa a bit more. I wasn’t really scared of the crosswinds at the end because we are a team from Holland so we know how to deal with the wind.”
Stage 3 Brief Results (updated):
- Fernando Gaviria (UAE Team Emirates) 5’22’18”
- Arnaud Démare (Groupama FDJ) s.t.
- Pascal Ackermann (BORA-hanshrohe)
- Moschetti (Trek Segafredo)
- Giacomo Nizzolo (Team Dimension Data)
- Mareczko (CCC )
- Cimolai (ICA)
- Belletti (ANS)
- Christian Knees (Ineos)
- Sacha Modolo (EF Education First)
General Classification After Stage 3:
- Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo – Visma)
- Simon Yates (Mitchelton – Scott) at 19″
- Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain – Merida) at 23″
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