2nd Giro della Provincia di Lucca - 2.3

Italy, October 3-6, 2000

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Stage 3 - October 5: Capannori-Altopascio, 220 km

Freire gives a warning

Spaniard Oscar Freire (Mapei) confirmed that he is in form to defend his World Champion's title, after winning today's third stage of the Giro di Provincia della Lucca. The 220 kilometre, nine lap circuit race started in Capannori and finished in Altopascio, and Freire, Alessandro Petacchi and Michele Bartoli were the three quickest in the bunch finish.

The penultimate stage of the race was marked by numerous attacks, especially from Italians trying to show Antonio Fusi that they were worth considering for the national team. MArco Serpellini, Luca Scinto, Gianni Faresin, Gabriele Missaglia, Wladimir Belli and finally, Gilberto Simoni all tried to attacj, with the latter having some success on the final climb with 13 kilometres to go.

However, the Mapei train, including Tafi, Scinto, Faresin as well as Francesco Casagrande (Vini Caldirola), caught Simoni in the final kilometres, and setting up Freire and Bartoli for good positions. Race leader, Alessandro Pettacchi (Fassa Bortolo) kept his green jersey, although he only has a 3 second advantage on Freire.

Tomorrow's final stage is from Marina di Carrara to Lucca (152 km), and finishes with a 14.6 kilometre circuit to be ridden 6 times. The hardest climb is San Martino in Vignola, at 4% and it could well end in a bunch sprint.

Results

1. Oscar Freire (Esp) Mapei-Quick Step                5.23.14 (41.765 km/h) 
2. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 
3. Michele Bartoli (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step
4. Biagio Conte (Ita) Saeco-Valli&Valli
5. Chris Peers (Bel)  Lotto-Adecco
6. Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Alessio
7. Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) La Francaise des Jeux
8. Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis
9. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Polti
10. Mirko Celestino (Ita) Polti

General classification after stage 3:

1. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo	     13.24.41
2. Oscar Freire (Esp) Mapei-Quick Step                   0.03
3. Sergio Barbero (Ita) Lampre-Daikin                    0.05
4. Christian Gasperoni (Ita) Cantina Tollo               0.07
5. Cristophe Mengin (Fra) La Francaise des Jeux          0.08
6. Chris Peers (Bel) Lotto-Adecco
7. Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Alessio
8. Denis Lunghi (Ita) Polti
9. Gorazd Stangelj (Slo) Liquigas
10. Igor Pugaci (Mdal) Saeco-Valli&Valli