Giro 2014: Birthday boy Kittel takes impressive 2nd stage win

Marcel Kittel doubled up in Dublin, taking his 2nd stage win in 2 days on his 26th birthday. The Irish stages will be remembered for the huge number of fans that took to the roadside, the inevitable rain, and the dominance of the big German in the sprints. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage Giro 2014

1. Marcel Kittel (Germany)
2. Ben Swift (UK) s.t.
3. Elia Viviani (Italy) s.t.
4. Davide Appollonia (Italy) s.t.
5. Nacer Bouhanni (France) s.t.
6. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway) s.t.
7. Roberto Ferrari (Italy) s.t.
8. Edwin Alcibad Vanegas (Colombia) s.t.
9. Giacomo Nizzolo (Italy) s.t.
10. Tyler Farrar (USA) s.t.

GC after stage 3
1. Michael Matthews (Australia)
2. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy) + 0.08
3. Daniel Oss (Italy) + 0.10
4. Luke Durbridge (Australia) + 0.14
5. Ivan Santaromita (Italy) s.t.
6. Svein Tuft (Canada) s.t.
7. Pieter Weening (The Netherlands) s.t.
8. Cameron Meyer (Australia) s.t.
9. Rigoberto Uran (Colombia) + 0.19
10. Gianluca Brambilla (Italy) s.t.

Race report
Today’s break featured Tjallingii, Dockx, Godoy, Rubiano and Cecchinel and was reeled in with just 7 kilometres remaining. The sprinters teams then took over fighting for position with Viviani well placed as well as Sky’s Ben Swift.

Kittel’s teammates had lost each other and the German sprinter looked isolated and too far back but he tore through the field in the last 100metres to take his 2nd stage win in a row.