2012 Giro del Trentino, Stage 3

Basilicata's Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF) won the third stage of the 2012 Giro del Trentino which concluded with a finishing climb of Punto Veleno, the first time the climb has ever been included in a professional race. Pozzovivo also becomes the new race leader.

"I was really upset after yesterday’s stage," said Pozzovivo. "Today everything panned out well even though such extreme climbs are not that suited to me. Still, I found my day here in Punta Veleno, climbing constantly beyond my heart-rate threshold, and I never gave it up despite such an extreme effort. The climb was so hard that I had to use the 34x29 and only in view of the GPM did I switched to the 34x27. Tomorrows is another good stage for me, I think I have a chance to take it all."

The steep slopes of Punto Veleno, averaging 15%, totally shattered the peloton and created large gaps between the GC contenders. Pozzovivo went clear after the first 3 km of the climb and was chased by Sylvester Szmyd (Liquigas-Cannondale)who finished 2nd at 23". Cunego, who had hopes of becoming the new race leader after winning yesterday's stage, lost too much time by finishing 3rd at 1'12"; he is now 2nd on GC at 25".

Cunego said, "I added another very good performance to yesterday's victory. Punta Veleno was very, very demanding and not so suitable to my characteristics but today's result increases my morale for the upcoming Liege-Bastogne-Liegi".

The top 10 GC:
1 Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Colnago - CSF Inox 8:20:42
2 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD 0:00:25
3 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:49
4 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Astana Pro Team 0:00:50
5 Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team 0:01:42
6 Carlos Alberto Betancur Gomez (Col) Acqua & Sapone 0:01:47
7 Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team NetApp 0:01:48
8 José Rujano Guillen (Ven) Androni Giocattoli
9 Marco Pinotti (Ita) BMC Racing Team 0:01:51
10 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:02:

Highlights:


The race concludes tomorrow with a 177.5km stage and another mountain top finish, this time atop Passo Pordoi.

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