SESTRI LEVANTE, Italy: Australia’s Michael Matthews burst from the pack to win a bunch sprint to claim Monday’s third stage of the Giro d’Italia and consolidate his lead atop the overall standings.
The Orica rider edged Italy’s Fabio Felline into second, with Belgian Philippe Gilbert third, after the hilly 136km ride which was marked by a dramatic fall by Italy’s Domenico Pozzovivo.
The AG2R rider fell face-first on a fast downhill section 38km from the finish.
Race doctor Giovanni Tredici allayed the worst fears of observers who had noted a pool of blood beneath the stricken athlete’s head, saying Pozzovivo’s life was not in danger. --AFP