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Mapei-Quick Step's Paolo Bettini triumphed in the third stage of the Giro Riviera Ligure Ponente, taking over the leader's jersey in the process. Bettini beat Alessio's Laurent Dufaux and Paolo Savoldelli (Index Alexia) in a small group sprint in Savona.
The third stage started with an attack after 6 kilometres by Colpack teammates Matteo Carrara and Leonardo Giordani, and Amore & Vita's Kjell Carlström. They were chased at kilometre 9 by Volodimir Bileka (Colnago Landbouwkrediet) who could not bridge the gap. The leading trio reached the climb of Calderaia (km 35.7), won by Carrara from Carlström and Giordani, with Bileka following at 2'32 and the peloton at 10 minutes.
The advantage of the leaders increased to 12'35 by the Capo Berta at kilometre 60, but that was the most they would gain. Giordani lost contact with the leaders at the Bric dei Corvi (km 115), won by Carlström in front of Carrara and Miguel Martinez (Mapei). The leading pair was eventually caught with 25 kilometres to go, completely exhausted after 125 km in front.
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On the climb of Nostra Signora del Monte, a group of approximately 40 riders broke clear, but this was reduced to 12 on the final climb with 15 km to go: Ivan Gotti, Laurent Dufaux and Franco Pellizotti (Alessio), Giuliano Figueras (Panaria), Cadel Evans and Paolo Bettini (Mapei), Paolo Savoldelli (Index), Fabio Sacchi (Saeco Longoni Sport), Gentili (Acqua Sapone), Gajcic (Mobilvetta), Alberto Ongarato (De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa) and Rodolfo Massi (Amore Vita Beretta).
With Cadel Evans leading him out, Bettini proved to be too strong in the sprint into Savona, and gained enough bonus seconds to move into the lead in front of Alberto Ongarato and Laurent Dufaux.
Bettini said of his teammate Cadel Evans, "He did a great job to keep the front group lined up before the finishing straight. Then with 300 meters to go, I jumped to the front and no one passed me. You know, when you get a 10 meter gap right away, it was hard for the others to bring me back."
Bettini went on to speak of his early sesaon ambitions. "I was already trying for a win in Majorca; so far, a lot of good placings I wanted this win, even though I'll say I didn't have control of the race today. With 5 GPM's today, there were good guys like Gotti, Figueras, Savoldelli and Ongarato who were riding hard today...we are all within a few seconds of each other for the win so now let's see how it finally comes out."
The giro finishes tomorrow with a 157 km circuit race around Ligure-Margherita.
Images by Fotoreporter Sirotti
Images by Roberto Bettini
1 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 3.51.11 (40.799 km/h) 2 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Alessio 3 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Index Alexia 4 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco Longoni Sport 5 Sasa Gajcic (Yug) Mobilvetta Formaggi Trentini 6 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Panaria Fiordo 7 Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Acqua Sapone Cantina Tollo 8 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa 9 Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Amore Vita Beretta 10 Ivan Gotti (Ita) Alessio General classification after stage 3 1 Paolo Bettini (Ita) Mapei Quick Step 11.25.20 2 Alberto Ongarato (Ita) De Nardi Pasta Montegrappa 0.04 3 Laurent Dufaux (Swi) Alessio 4 Fabio Sacchi (Ita) Saeco Longoni Sport 0.06 5 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Index Alexia 6 Massimiliano Gentili (Ita) Acqua Sapone Cantina Tollo 0.10 7 Giuliano Figueras (Ita) Panaria Fiordo 8 Ivan Gotti (Ita) Alessio 9 Sasa Gajcic (Yug) Mobilvetta Formaggi Trentini 10 Rodolfo Massi (Ita) Amore Vita Beretta
