The Austrialian sprinter of Team Wiggle High5 has obtained her first personal success at the Giro Rosa, winning the Stage 3 Montagnana-Lendinara, 114 km (The stage has become 6 km shorter than the original). This has been a stage where the bunch did not permit attempts of breakaways. The athletes have been supported by a huge crowd of fans since the marvellous start in Montagnana. At half stage, with the climb of Arquà Petrarca (3rd Category) won by Elisa Longo Borghini and the Intermediate Sprint gone to Megan Guarnier in Ciclamino Jersey, the athletes started to accelerate. At 30 kms to go, the Italian Silvia Valsecchi (BePink) tried an attack but the group ran too fat. Closer to the finish line Scott Lechuga attacked reaching 22'' gap, with the Champion of Azerbaigian Olena Pavlukhina (BTC CIty Ljubljana) chasing. The teams of the sprinters worked for their captains and the stage has been decided with a bunch sprint: the train of Wiggle High5 bring Chloe Hosking and Giorgia Bronzini in the best position, and the Aussie catched a very precious success, the second for its team, after Giorgia Bronzini in San Fior. Second place for Marta Tagliaferro (Alè-Cipollini).
"It was unexpected for me, I'm shocked!" - admits Chloe Hosking after the stage - "I really don't like the narrow curves close to the finish but the team did a great work and I must thank my teammates".
Nothing changes in the General Classification: Evelyn Stevens (Boels Dolmans) from USA is the Pink Jersey with 3'' from Kasia Niewiadoma (Rabo-Liv) and 16'' from Megan Guarnier.
The route of tomorrow's stage, Costa Volpino - Lovere has been modified due to a landslide on the west coast of the Lake of Iseo: the new itinerary has a climb in Pianico after only 3 kms from the start, the following passage from Val Cavallina until Trescore Balneario and Gorlago, going up to the Lake of Iseo from Sarnico to Pisogne, through the Intermediate Sprint in Sale Marasino. It is another occasion for the sprinters before the big mountains.
PODIUM STAGE 3 GIRO ROSA (MONTAGNANA - LENDINARA, 114 KM):
1. Chloe Hosking (Wiggle High5) 2:50'14''
2. Marta Tagliaferro (Alè - Cipollini) st
3. Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle High5) st
TOP 3 GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE 3:
1. Evelyn Stevens (Boels Dolmans) 8:19'25''
2. Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Rabo-Liv) +3''
3. Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans) +16''
THE JERSEYS OF THE 27TH GIRO ROSA AFTER STAGE 3:
Maglia Rosa COLNAGO - Classifica Generale: Evelyn Stevens (Boels Dolmans)
Maglia Ciclamino SELLE SMP - Classifica a Punti: Megan Guarnier (Boels Dolmans)
Maglia Verde MORTIROLO - Classifica GPM: Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High5)
Maglia Bianca COLNAGO - Classifica Giovani: Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Rabo-Liv)
Maglia Blu GIESSEGI - Classifica Italiane: Elisa Longo Borghini (Wiggle High5)
Photocredit (c) Flaviano Ossola