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EFE · Road Competition · 05/10/2020
The Ecuadorian cyclist Jonathan Caicedo (Education First), with a tremendous test of strength from start to finish, won this Monday in the third stage of the 103rd edition of the Giro d’Italia, on a 150-kilometer route from Enna to Etna, in the southern island of Sicily, and placed second in the general classification, behind the Portuguese Joao Almeida (Deceunick-Quick Step).
Caicedo launched an attack in the first kilometers of the stage and sealed the most important victory of his life, finishing in 4 hours, 2 minutes and 33 seconds, ahead of Giovanni Visconti (Vini Zab) and the Belgian Harm Vanhoucke (Lotto- Soudal).
In a very complicated stage for the British Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadier), stopped by one fall, and by Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott), Caicedo was a few hundredths of a second behind the new pink jersey, Almeida.
The first of the Spaniards was Jonathan Castroviejo (Bahrain-McLaren), who entered eighth, while in the general classification Pello Bilbao placed third, 37 seconds behind the leader.
After the opening time trial, won with authority by Ganna, and the triumph of Diego Ulissi in the second stage, the riders faced a third test in Sicily, this time with a demanding final climb to Volcn Etna, 18.8 kilometers with slopes. that touch 13%.
There was no lack of the usual initial breakout, with eight runners, including Caicedo, who sought glory and attacked from the first kilometers. Caicedo and Giovanni Visconti (Vini Zab) were the main protagonists, reaching ten kilometers from the finish with still 2 minutes and 15 seconds of advantage.
Further back, Simon Yates, after his compatriot Geraint Thomas already fell down due to physical problems, began to suffer a lot and to move away from the peloton, at the same time that a heavy rain began to descend on Etna.
Despite the strong contrary wind, Caicedo and Visconti exchanged signals on the hard climb to the Volcano, but the Ecuadorian was the one with the most strength in his legs and gained meters with authority over the Italian.
He reached 1,500 meters from the finish with 22 seconds over Visconti and from that moment he did not stop pressing on the pedals, until he was crowned the winner of the stage, which is the most important victory of his career.
Behind him, a quartet composed of Vincenzo Nibali (Trek-Segafredo), Dan Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), Domenico Pozzovivo (NTT) and Pole Rafal Majka (Bora-Hansgrohe) got out of the squad and crossed the finish line. to take an important step forward in the general classification.
After several minutes of controls by the organizers, the general classification registered the new leadership of Almeida, with a few hundredths of a second over Caicedo, while the Spanish Pello Bilbao (Bahrain-McLaren) attacked the third position.
Among the top favorites on paper, Nibali placed sixth, 55 seconds behind Alemeida, with Fuglsang at 1 minute 13 seconds.
It was a disastrous stage for Thomas, considered a great candidate for the final triumph, who was up to twelve minutes and 19 seconds behind the pink jersey.
The Giro d’Italia will continue this Tuesday with the dispute of its fourth stage, a day of 140 kilometers that link the towns of Catania and Villafranca Tirrena.
Classifications [Clasificaciones completas]
Stage classification:
1. Jonathan Klever Caicedo (ECU / Education First) – 4:02:33
2. Giovanni Visconti (ITA / Vini Zab-KTM) at 0:21
3. Harm Vanhoucke (BEL / Lotto-Soudal) at 0:30
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED / Sunweb) at 0:39
5. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN / Astana) at 0:51
6. Rafal Majka (POL / Bora-Hansgrohe) at 0:51
7. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA / Trek-Segafredo) at 0:51
8. JONATHAN CASTROVIEJO (ESP / Ineos) at 0:51
9. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA / NTT) at 0:51
10. Steven Kruijswijk (NED / Jumbo-Visma) 0:56
General classification:
1. Joo Almeida (POR / Deceuninck-Quick Step) – 7:44:25
2. Jonathan Klever Caicedo (ECU / Education First) – mt
3. PELLO BILBAO (ESP / Bahrain-McLaren) at 0:37
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED / Sunweb) at 0:42
5. Harm Vanhoucke (BEL / Lotto-Soudal) at 0:53
6. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA / Trek-Segafredo) at 0:55
7. Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA / NTT) at 0:59
8. Brandon McNulty (US / UAE Emirates) at 1:11
9. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN / Astana) at 1:13 AM
10. Steven Kruijswijk (NED / Jumbo-Visma) at 1:15
Next stage, 4: Catania – Villafranca Tirrena / 140 Km.
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