Elia Viviani (Quick-Step Floors) won stage 3 at the Santos Tour Down Under with a late burst of speed that pushed him past overall race leader Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott), who settled for third. Team Sunweb's Phil Bauhaus was second.
Ewan's team took control in the final kilometres and set the race leader up well for a second consecutive win, but as he appeared to hesitate in the closing 200 metres Viviani sailed past for the win and Bauhaus stopped up second. The win is Viviani's first of 2018 and his first for Quick-Step since moving to the Belgian team from Team Sky in the off-season.
"It's the fourth sprint we do, and it's not easy to come in January in good condition, so I think I never win in the early season like that," Viviani said. "That's a good thing. I feel really, really lucky to be here and to take this win."
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The Italian said he beat the day's heat, which soared past 40 degrees, by drinking a lot and staying as fresh as possible for the finale.
"I just tried to be in good position," Viviani said after the stage. "The guys did another perfect job. The feeling was good with the team. I have an amazing team. I really thank all of my mates."
Viviani can also thank Ewan, who admitted he botched the finale badly after his teammates set him up so well. Commentators speculated that Ewan saw a gap behind himself and lead-out man Alexander Edmondson and Ewan eased up to let his domestique take the win, but Ewan said it was just a simple mistake of starting his sprint too late.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
via Cyclingnews Latest Race Results http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-down-under-2018/stage-3/results
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