Giro 2017: Gaviria takes stage and pink after perfect teamwork by QuickStep

The 3rd stage of the 2017 Giro d'Italia is played out on a flat route of 148 kilometres. Uneventful at first, but cross winds in the last 10 kilometres bring spectacle. Jungels splits the peloton and his team mate Gaviria sprints to victory and the maglia rosa. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage 2017 Giro

1. Fernando Gaviria (col)
2. Rüdiger Selig (ger) s.t.
3. Giacomolo Nizzolo (ita) s.t.
4. Nathan Haas (aus) s.t.
5. Maximiliano Richeze (arg) s.t.
6. Kanstantsin Siutsou (blr) + 0.03
7. Bob Jungels (lux) s.t.
8. Caleb Ewan (aus) + 0.13
9. Sacha Modolo (ita) s.t.
10. André Greipel (ger) s.t.

158. Rohan Dennis (aus) + 5.22

GC after 3rd stage
1. Fernando Gaviria (col)
2. André Greipel (ger) + 0.09
3. Lukas Pöstlberger (aut) + 0.13
4. Bob Jungels (lux) s.t.
5. Kanstantsin Siutsou (blr) s.t.
6. Caleb Ewan (aus) + 0.17
7. Roberto Ferrari (ita) s.t.
8. Ryan Gibbons (rsa) + 0.23
9. Enrico Battaglin (ita) s.t.
10. Sacha Modolo (ita) s.t.

11. Geraint Thomas (gbr) s.t.
12. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) s.t.
13. Adam Yates (gbr) s.t.
15. Rui Costa (por) s.t.
17. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
19. Tom Dumoulin (nld) s.t.
23. Mikel Landa (ita) s.t.
26. Bauke Mollema (nld) s.t.
27. Tejay van Garderen (usa) s.t.
28. Thibaut Pinot (fra) s.t.
29. Andrey Amador (ecu) s.t.
36. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 0.36
37. Wilco Kelderman (nld) s.t.
43. Ilnur Zakarin (rus) + 0.43

Race report
Shortly after the start Eugert Zhupa, Ivan Rovni and Jan Tratnik jump clear from the bunch. Kristian Sbaragli chases them down before the four race to a lead of 3 minutes. The Italian sprinter takes the first intermediate sprints and then he sits up and to wait for the peloton. The other three push on, but with 26 kms remaining Tratnik is the last escapee to be reeled in.

Now it’s time for cross winds. The peloton breaks when Jungels pushes hard at the front. Twelve riders manage to get across, including six team mates. Gaviria, Greipel and Nizzolo are the fast men aboard, yet the maglia rosa is dropped after a mechanical.

QuickStep pushes hard to hold off the chasing peloton. Five riders stay away with Gaviria powering to the win and the pink jersey.

Rohan Dennis crashes in the wind-swept finale. Losing more than 5 minutes, the Australian can put his GC ambitions on ice.

Check out the route of the 3rd stage in the 2017 Giro.