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.
Matthews picked up a 10-second time bonus for the stage win to stretch his overall lead, which he took possession of on Sunday after he finished seventh on stage two.
Here 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 rider's head, saying Pozzovivo's life was not in danger.
The race got off to a lively start as Giro favourite Alberto Contador and his Tinkoff team kept close tabs on a breakaway group of 25 who led by over a minute on the pink jersey group on the last climb.
A lone survivor of that escape, Russia's Pavel Kochetkov, crossed the final summit alone and set off on a breakneck downhill charge.
But he was caught by three counter-attackers with 10km to race and even this was helpless as the peloton took advantage of the last seven flat kilometres to reel them in 3km from the line.
Pink jersey Matthews, the 24-year-old Australian, was in a comfortable position the whole race, and had just enough gas in the tank to pip the field after a long, drawn out race for the line.
AFP
