Giro 2023: Matthews wins decimated bunch sprint, Evenepoel still leader

image: Cor VosMichael Matthews wins the 3rd stage of the Giro. The Aussi outguns Mads Pedersen and Kaden Groves in the streets of Melfi. Remco Evenepoel stays in the lead of the general classification. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage 2023 Giro

1. Michael Matthews (aus)
2. Mads Pedersen (den) s.t.
3. Kaden Groves (aus) s.t.
4. Vincenzo Albanese (ita) s.t.
5. Stefano Oldani (ita) s.t.
6. Sven Erik Bystrøm (nor) s.t.
7. Primoz Roglic (slo) s.t.
8. Simone Velasco (ita) s.t.
9. Toms Skujins (lat) s.t.
10. Andrea Vendrame (ita) s.t.

GC after stage 3
1. Remco Evenepoel (bel)
2. João Almeida (por) + 0.32
3. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 0.44
4. Stefan Küng (swi) + 0.46
5. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 0.58
6. Aleksandr Vlasov (rus) s.t.
7. Tao Geoghegan Hart (gbr) + 1.02
8. Michael Matthews (aus) s.t.
9. Jay Vine (aus) + 1.08
10. Mads Pedersen (den) + 1.18

Race report
Two team mates attack from the gun. Alexander Konychev and Veljko Stojnic open up a 7 minutes gap. That’s all they get.

Stojnic is the last rider to be reeled in on the Valico dei Laghi di Monticchio. The likes of Milan and Cavendish can’t follow the pace on the early slopes, while Cort loses contact in the last kilometre before the top.

Pinot is the first rider to reach the summit and he moves into the KOM-lead.

Pedersen is dropped just before the summit of the second climb, but he makes it back on descent.

Evenepoel gains a time bonus of 3 seconds in the intermediate sprint almost 10 kilometres before the line. Roglic takes 2.

Matthews outguns Pedersen in the uphill sprint to the line, while Groves comes home in third.

Another interesting read: route 3rd stage 2023 Giro.