Tour of the Alps 2018 Stage 3: Solo-win Ben OConnor, Thibaut Pinot new leader

Tour of the Alps 2018 Stage 3: Solo-win Ben O’Connor, Thibaut Pinot new leader

The 3rd stage of the Tour of the Alps travels over the Passo Mendola and the Passo Palade to conclude with a descent and a flat-run in to the line in Merano. Attacker Ben O'Connor takes the flowers, while Thibaut Pinot wins the group-sprint ahead of Domenico Pozzovivo. The Frenchman is the new GC-leader. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage 2018 Tour of the Alps

1. Ben O’Connor (aus)
2. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.05
3. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) s.t.
4. George Bennett (nzl) s.t.
5. Luis León Sánchez (spa) s.t.
6. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
7. Fabio Aru (ita) s.t.
8. Manuel Senni (ita) s.t.
9. Alexandre Geniz (fra) s.t.
10. Michal Schlegel (cze) s.t.

11. Miguel Ángel López (col) + 0.14

GC after the 3rd stage
1. Thibaut Pinot (fra)
2. Domenico Pozzovivo (ita) + 0.15
3. Miguel Ángel López (col) s.t.
4. Chris Froome (gbr) + 0.16
5. Fabio Aru (ita) + 0.50
6. George Bennett (nzl) + 1.21
7. Luis León Sánchez (spa) + 1.27
8. Ben O’Connor (aus) + 1.36
9. Giulio Ciccone (ita) + 1.45
10. Jan Hirt (cze) + 1.55

Race report
At km 30 Matteo Montaguti, KOM-leader Stephen Rabitsch, Giovanni Visconti and Manuel Senni open up a gap, which they widen to more than 3 minutes.

When approaching Passo Mendola the gap still hovers between 3 and 4 minutes. But on the climb itself the lead goes down fast when Thibaut strikes. He is accompanied by Pozzovivi, Padun and O’Connor, and they rejoin the leaders. Rabitsch and Padun can’t follow the pace and the rest of the front group hits the top 1 minute ahead of the peloton.

On Passo Palade Montaguti, Visconti and Senni are dropped. Pinot, Pozzovivo and O’Connor reach the crest 27 seconds ahead of the main group. Froome leads the chase on descent to bring the gap down, while leader Sosa hits the tarmac.

Before entering the valley the leaders are brought back. But O’Connor perseveres and he holds off the chasers in the final run-in to the line. His fellow-attackers Pinot and Pozzovivo sprint to second and third place, thus moving into the race-lead and second place overall. López loses contact in the last kilometres and now sits in third.