Giro di Sicilia: Valverde wins stage 3

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won stage 3 of the Giro di Sicilia on Thursday, hitting stride in the final two corners of the last 100 metres of the 180km race from Termini Imerese to Caronia.  Alessandro Covi (UAE Team Emirates) finished second, followed by Jhonathan Restrepo (Androni-Giocattoli) in third.

The podium of the stage also reflected the new trio in the general classification lead, Valverde with seven seconds over Covi, and another two in front of Restrepo. With his second place finish, Covi will wear the white jersey as leader of the young riders classification. Ben King (Rally Cycling) is the mountains classification leader and Juan Sebastián Molano (UAE Team Emirates), who won the first two stages, leads the points classification.

The eight-rider break of the day had a lead of 3:55 with 75km to go - David González (Caja Rural - Seguros RGA), Samuele Rivi (EOLO-Kometa), Damiano Cima (Gazprom-RusVelo), Paul Double (Mg.k Vis VPM), Alex Tolio (Zalf Euromobil Fior), Francesco Zandri (Work Service Marchiol Vega), Davide Orrico (Vini Zabù) and King. All efforts were pulled back when the pace was lifted by the Movistar-led charge, which reduced the field to 30 riders, and set up the win for Valverde. 

It was his third victory of the season for Valverde, who returned to racing one month after he crashed and broke his collarbone in the Vuelta a España.

“So happy to have achieved this victory! We came here today with an aim at claiming the victory, and we succeeded - even if the end of the day was a bit unexpected. It was unfortunate to lost control of the bike over those cables, but I think it won't be too serious, Valverde said in a team statement after the finish.

“It's a victory that brings me so much peace of mind, knowing now that I'm doing OK. I've been able to train well these past few weeks, I recovered fast and I showed again today I'm fine. My goal, both here in Sicilia and in the next few days, is to gain some racing form to be up there for Il Lombardia.”