Fernando Gaviria (Etixx-QuickStep) sprinted to his first WorldTour stage win on stage three of Tirreno-Adriatico.
The Colombian proved too fast for Caleb Ewan (Orica-GreenEDGE) in the first head-to-head showdown of the season between the two prodigious sprinting talents, with Elia Viviani (Team Sky) third.
Gaviria’s win makes it two from two for the Belgian super team, following race leader Zdenek Stybar’s stage two victory, with the Czech ace comfortably holding onto the blue jersey.
The day’s break was five-strong, with Giorgio Cecchinel (Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec) and Simone Andreetta (Bardiani-CSF) up the road for the second consecutive day.
Domingos Goncalves and Ricardo Vilela ensured Caja Rural were well-represented, and the quintet was completed by Adrian Honkisz (CCC Sprandi Polkowice) as they opened up a decent, but manageable, lead.
Etixx-QuickStep and Orica-GreenEDGE led the chase, keen to set up the eagerly anticipated sprinting showdown between Gaviria – fresh from defending his omnium title at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships and Ewan.
The break stayed stubbornly clear, however, sans Andreetta, and briefly threatened to foil the fast men, but it was gruppo compacto with 1500m to go and the sprint trains sprang into action.
Gaviria led from the front as they rounded the final left-hander onto the finishing straight, with Ewan closing in fast up the right.
But the Colombian had timed his acceleration perfectly, and had enough in the tank to win by half a bike length and send out another big statement of his sprinting qualities.
Viviani pipped world champion Peter Sagan to the final podium place, meanwhile, and Stybar finished safely in the bunch to hold onto the race lead.
1) Fernando Gaviria (COL) – Etixx-QuickStep – 4.17.28hrs
2) Caleb Ewan (AUS) – Orica-GreenEDGE – ST
3) Elia Viviani (ITA) – Team Sky
4) Peter Sagan (SVK) – Tinkoff
5) Leigh Howard (AUS) – IAM Cycling
6) Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA) – Trek-Segafredo
7) Zico Waetyns (BEL) – Giant-Alpecin
8) Sacha Modolo (ITA) – Lampre-Merida
9) Moreno Hofland (NED) – LottoNL-Jumbo
10) Nikias Arndt (GER) – Giant-Alpecin
1) Zdenek Stybar (CZE) – Etixx-QuickStep – 9.51.18hrs
2) Damiano Caruso (ITA) – BMC Racing +9”
3) Daniel Oss (ITA) – BMC Racing – ST
4) Tejay van Garderen (USA) – BMC Racing
5) Greg van Avermaet (BEL) – BMC Racing
6) Gianluca Brambilla (ITA) – Etixx-QuickStep +11”
7) Bob Jungels (LUX) – Etixx-QuickStep
8) Peter Sagan (SVK) – Tinkoff +14”
9) Thibaut Pinot (FRA) – FDJ +18”
10) Sebastien Reichenbach (SUI) – FDJ – ST
Belgian stays one second clear of Peter Sagan as Fabian Cancellara wins stage seven time trial
Belgian pips Peter Sagan after small, elite group forge clear on finishing circuit
Brit attacks late to earn victory; stage five cancelled due to snow
Czech ace escapes on final climb to take race lead
