Giro 2018 Stage 3: Elia Viviani sprints to back-to-back win, Dennis retains in pink

At 229 kilometres, the 3rd stage of the Giro d'Italia travels through the Negev desert to Eilat on the Red Sea. The race boils down to a bunch sprint with Elia Viviani besting Sacha Modolo and Sam Bennett. Rohan Dennis finishes safely in the bunch to retain in the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage 2018 Giro d’Italia

1. Elia Viviani (ita)
2. Sacha Modolo (ita) s.t.
3. Sam Bennett (irl) s.t.
4. Jakub Mareczko (ita) s.t.
5. Danny van Poppel (nld) s.t.
6. Jens Debusschere (bel) s.t.
7. Manuel Belletti (ita) s.t.
8. Baptiste Plankaert (bel) s.t.
9. Mads Pedersen (den) s.t.
10. José Goncalves (por) s.t.

GC after the 3rd stage
1. Rohan Dennis (aus)
2. Tom Dumoulin (nld) + 0.01
3. José Goncalves (por) + 0.13
4. Alex Dowsett (gbr) + 0.17
5. Pello Bilbao (spa) + 0.19
6. Simon Yates (gbr) + 0.21
7. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) + 0.22
8. Tony Martin (ger) + 0.28
9. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) s.t.
10. Carlos Betancur (col) + 0.29

16. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.34
19. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.38
23. Davide Formolo (ita) + 0.41
24. Sam Oomen (nld) + 0.44
32. Sergio Henao (col) + 0.46
30. Esteban Chaves (col) + 0.47
32. George Bennett (nzl) + 0.50
34. Fabio Aru (ita) + 0.51
36. David de la Cruz (spa) + 0.53
45. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 0.57
51. Michael Woods (can) + 1.03
61. Louis Meintjes (rsa) + 1.09
85. Wout Poels (nld) + 1.31

Race report
Once the flag is dropped Patrick Boivin, Enrico Barbin and Patrick Frapporti give it a go. They race to a maximum lead of 7 minutes before the peloton takes them on a leash.

Boivin and Frapporti are the last leaders to be reeled in – with 6 kms to go.

In the ensuing sprint Elia Viviani outguns Sacha Modolo and Sam Bennett. A change of line of the Irishman almost pushes the winner into the barriers, but Viviani can’t be bothered and shows who’s the boss.

Victor Campenaerts loses contact in the finale and drops down on GC, while Rohan Dennis retains in the overall lead.