Francesco Gavazzi wins the stage 3 of the Tour of Beijing 2012
Francesco Gavazzi of Team Astana shines during the stage 3 of the Tour of Beijing after his storming performance during the 162.5 kilometre chase to Yan Qing Ba Da Ling Great Wall.
The Italian is having a disappointing season and has not registered any victories in the earlier part of the season; he was delighted to open his winning account during the stage 3 of the Chinese race.
Gavazzi took a total time of 4 hours, 5 minutes and 8 seconds and achieved the top podium position with Daniel Martin of Team Garmin-Sharp and Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky Pro cycling securing the second and the third positions respectively.
“I planned to go exactly where I did but it wasn’t the plan that the other guys would catch me,” Boasson Hagen said.
“If Martin hadn’t gained time yesterday, then maybe I could have waited for the sprint. But that would have been a different race. So I was just thinking I needed to gap off and get as much seconds as possible,” he concluded.
Rinaldo Nocentini of Team AG2R La Mondiale and Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa of Team Movistar occupied the fourth and the fifth positions.
Overnight general classifications leader, Tony Martin of Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step finished 15th and maintained the top overall position.
“It was hard finish, but a good stage for me, although I’m a bit disappointed not to win after all the hard work of my teammates,” said Martin.
Matthieu Ladagnous of Team FDJ-Big Mat and Pim Ligthart of Team Vacansoleil-DCM succeeded during the first and the second sprints of the race.
Pim Ligthart of Team Vacansoleil-DCM wins the second and the third mountains of the race while Valentin Iglinskiy and Francesco Gavazzi of Team Astana Pro winning the first and the fourth climbs of the race.
Tom Jelte Slagter of Team Rabobank, Moreno Moser of Team Liquigas-Cannondale, Rafal Majka of Team Lotto Belisol. Tim Wellens of Team Lotto Belisol and Klaas Lodewyck of Team BMC were the top five young riders on the day.
Tony Martin of Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step leads the stage 3 overall classifications with a lead of 40 seconds over Francesco Gavazzi of Team Astana Pro.
Daniel Martin of Team Garmin-Sharp, Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky Procycling and Eros Capecchi of Team Liquigas-Cannondale holds the third, the fourth and the fifth positions in the respective order.
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