Francesco Chicchi has won the third stage of the Coppi E Bartali in Italy.
Team Sky's Ben Swift was in the race lead after victory on the second stage for this 173.8km stage from Cargelino di Caldera di Reno to Crevalcore.
On a sunny day, Girdlestone, Bottura, Vaccher, Di Francesco, Galviz, F Gavazzi , Sisr, Van Zyl, Malucelli, Cambianica & Mendoza formed the first break of the day and were 1.45 clear after fifty kilometres of racing.
Fifty four kilometres later and their lead had not advanced or reduced and the eleven were able to stay away until they were brought back with twelve kilometres left.
Any more attacks were immediately halted and a bunch sprint was on going into the final kilometre. However, there was a big crash which held up a number of riders.
Manuel Belletti (Southeast) started the sprint, some three hundred metres from the finish line but Italian Francesco Chicchi of Androni was able to get past him and take the win in 3.33.05, beating Belletti, Colli, Ruffoni, Matysiak, Gasparrini, Pasqualon, Kragh Andersen, Fortin and Colbrelli.
Team Sky's Ben Swift finished in eighteenth place but retains his lead overall by forty one seconds from Matija Kvasina of Felbermayr Simplon Wels going into the final stage.
Source: DSG
