The wind which caused such problems in the finale was a tailwind initially, as four riders got into the day’s break – Jan Tratnik (CCC Sprandi Polowice), Ivan Rovny (Gazprom-RusVelo), Kristian Sbaragli (Dimension Data) and Eugert Zhupa (Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia).

Sbaragli’s ambitions were clear – taking the first intermediate sprint points to not only seize a few bonus seconds himself, but also protect team-mate Daniel Teklehaimanot’s sprint lead from Zhupa.

The Italian sat up and returned to the bunch after the first intermediate sprint, leaving a breakaway of three with only a couple of minutes’ advantage over the peloton.

Sensing an opportunity, Haas launched an early attack to try and foil the QuickStep men, but Max Richeze was alert to the danger to shut him down.

And when Gaviria kicked relatively early in the sprint, Selig and Nizzolo simply could not compete with his burst of speed.

Caleb Ewan led what remained of the peloton over the line 13 seconds later, with only Dennis – who had crashed near the front of the group shortly after QuickStep bolted clear – missing out of the riders who had harboured hopes of a GC challenge.

Heading into the first rest day and then onto Mount Etna, Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas sits 11th overall, while Adam Yates (Orica-Scott) is 13th.

Giro d’Italia 2017: stage three – result

1) Fernando Gaviria (COL) – QuickStep Floors – 3.26.33hrs
2) Rudiger Selig (GER) – Bora-hansgrohe – ST
3) Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) – Trek-Segafredo
4) Nathan Haas (AUS) – Dimension Data
5) Max Richeze (ARG) – QuickStep Floors
6) Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR) – Bahrain-Merida +3”
7) Bob Jungels (LUX) – QuickStep Floors – ST
8) Caleb Ewan (AUS) – Orica-Scott +13”
9) Sacha Modolo (ITA) – UAE Team Emirates – ST
10) Andre Greipel (GER) – Lotto-Soudal

General classification

1) Fernando Gaviria (COL) – QuickStep Floors – 14.45.16hrs
2) Andre Greipel (GER) – Lotto-Soudal +9”
3) Lukas Postlberger (AUT) – Bora-hansgrohe +13”
4) Bob Jungels (LUX) – QuickStep Floors – ST
5) Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR) – Bahrain-Merida
6) Caleb Ewan (AUS) – Orica-Scott +17”
7) Roberto Ferrari (ITA) – UAE Team Emirates – ST
8) Ryan Gibbons (RSA) – Dimension Data +23”
9) Enrico Battaglin (ITA) – LottoNL-Jumbo
10) Sacha Modolo (ITA) – UAE Team Emirates