Marianne Vos (Rabobank-Liv/Giant) took her third victory of the 2013 Giro della Toscana, as she outsprinted a group of six riders to win stage three, between Segromigno in Piano and Capannori. The World and Olympic champion was first to the line at the end of the Queen stage of the five-day race, as she cruised across the line more than a length clear of the others.
World number one Emma Johansson (Orica-AIS) won the battle for second place, ahead of Vos’ compatriot - and future teammate - Anna van der Breggen (Sengers Ladies).
After starting with the usual memorial mass for the late Italian champion Michela Fanini, whose father organises the race in her memory, the 124km stage was based on four ascents of the climb to Segromigno in Monte, followed by two of the bigger climb to Valgiano.
After 2011 race winner Malgorzata Jasinska (MCipollini-Giordana), Roxane Knetemann (Rabobank-Liv/Giant) and mountains classification leader Noemi Cantele (Be Pink) had taken the first three climbs to Segromigno in Monte, and Vos had increased her overall lead by three seconds at the Michela Fanini sprint, after 54.9km - ahead of Tiffany Cromwell (Orica-AIS) and Rossella Ratto (Hitec Products) - a ten rider group managed to get away on the fourth time up the climb.
In the break were Valentina Caretta (MCipollini-Giordana), Anna-Bianca Schnitzmeier (Wiggle Honda) Thalita de Jong (Rabobank-Liv/Giant), Jade Wilcoxson (Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies), Rachel Neylan (Hitec Products), Jessie MacLean (Orica-AIS), Martina Ruzickova (Pasta Zara-Cogeas), Maura Kinsella (United States), Audrey Cordon (France) and Marina Lari (Servetto-Footon). They managed to get 30 seconds, but were steadily reeled back in by the peloton, and caught as they took on the climb to Valgiano for the first time.
A group of 30 riders then pulled clear over the top of the climb but, on the technical descent that followed, the winning move of six came together. With Vos, Johansson and van der Breggen, were Ratto, Tatiana Antoshina (MCipollini-Giordana) and Claudia Häusler (Team TIBCO). With six of the biggest teams in the race present, there was little cohesion in the chase behind them, and they began to pull further clear.
With all five of her companions fearing her sprint at the finish, Vos came under attack from the rest on the Valgiano climb the second time. The World champion chased down every move herself, however, then pulled clear with Johansson and Ratto on the descent.
The group came together again on the flat run to the finish, but nobody was able to get close to beating Vos in the sprint for the stage.
Result stage 3
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/GIant
2. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS
3. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
4. Rossella Ratto (Ita) Hitec Products
5. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Team Tibco-To The Top
6. Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) MCipollini-Giordana
7. Valentina Scandolara (Ita) MCipollini-Giordana @ 3’30”
8. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (Fra) Rabobank-Liv/Giant
9. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Orica-AIS
10. Elena Cecchini (Ita) Faren-Kuota
Standings after stage 3
1. Marianne Vos (Ned) Rabobank-Liv/GIant
2. Emma Johansson (Swe) Orica-AIS @ 32s
3. Anna van der Breggen (Ned) Sengers Ladies Cycling Team @ 34s
4. Rossella Ratto (Ita) Hitec Products @ 35s
5. Claudia Häusler (Ger) Team Tibco-To The Top @ 44s
6. Tatiana Antoshina (Rus) MCipollini-Giordana @ 45s
7. Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Orica-AIS @ 4’02”
8. Evelyn Stevens (USA) Specialized-lululemon @ 4’14”
9. Tatiana Guderzo (Ita) MCipollini-Giordana
10. Noemi Cantele (Ita) Be Pink