Saxo Bank-SunGard sprinter comes around Tyler Farrar as Garmin-Cervélo mis-times lead out
Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank-SunGard) won the third stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico between Terranuova Bracciolini and Perugia at the head of a sprint royale. The Argentinean sprinter came around stage 2 winner, and race leader Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervélo) in the final hundred metres after the American had been led out by World champion Thor Hushovd once more. Daniel Oss (Liquigas-Cannondale) edged out compatriot Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-ISD) to take third place.
“I know it has been a surprise for most of you but it’s not for me and my team,” said Haedo after the stage. “My father was a cyclist and his passion made me fall in love with cycling since I was a kid…
“Being an Argentine cyclist means getting most of the year away from my house and my parents,” he added. “It’s not so easy for me, but on the other hand I am calm because I know my parents understand me.”
With a number of small lumps to climb in the closing kilometres, the stage was a little reminiscent of the course of the Milano-Sanremo, which follows just a few days after this race. Haedo has come to Tirreno-Adriatico to prepare himself for an assault on La Primavera.
“I really like it and so far I have only raced in 2007 without getting a good result,” he explained, “that is why I asked the team to participate at Tirreno-Adriatico to better prepare for the Classicissima; it remains an unpredictable race but I will strongly try to win it.”
As is usual a breakaway was allowed to escape the peloton in the early part of the 189km stage; what was unusual though was that it was just one rider, in the shape of Daniel Sesma (Euskaltel-Euskadi). The slumbering peloton allowed the lone Spaniard to build an advantage of almost 10 minutes by the 60km mark before it reacted.
Sesma was gradually reeled in by the peloton and was caught at around 30km to go as the race approached the climb to the centre of Perugia. There was a brief flurry as previous race leader Lars Boom (Rabobank) outsprinted Farrar at the intermediate sprint, taking 2 bonus seconds to Farrar’s 1 and neutralise the American’s overall advantage.
The peloton was all together though, as it tackled the lower slopes of the climb.
The Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli team of Italian champion Giovanni Visconti seized control of the front of the peloton on the steep slopes; Visconti was unable to get away though but a number of riders at the back of the peloton were put into trouble.
One such rider was Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad), who soon lost contact with the rear of the bunch; the Manx Missile was nursed over climb by his team though and he was able to rejoin on the descent.
Meanwhile at the front Angel Madrazo (Movistar) was trying to get clear with Wout Poels in pursuit; neither was able to get clear though and the peloton tackled the descent together; albeit with a few riders gone from the back.
On stage’s the rolling finale Visconti and a number of others tried to get away once more but Garmin-Cervélo and Saxo Bank-Sungard seized control and prevented any meaningful break.
Into the closing kilometres almost the entire Saxo Bank-SunGard team was on the front of the peloton on behalf of Haedo. Other teams were moving forward but the Danish team maintained the front into the final kilometre when Hushovd surged forward with Farrar on his wheel, just as he had done to such effect on stage two.
While yesterday’s final kilometre surge from Hushovd took the peloton by surprise, today’s was far more expected. Rather than try for fight the World champion for supremacy at the front the rest of the sprinters’ teams simply latched on to the back of Farrar and allowed the Garmin-Cervélo riders to drive them to the finish.
Hushovd also seemed to have gone too soon, having to hold the front for several hundred metres; when he pulled over to release Farrar the American was forced to sprint from too far out. Haedo waited patiently on Farrar’s wheel until the final hundred metres before timing his final surge to perfection.
The flagging Farrar was unable to prevent Haedo from coming past but held on to take second less than half a length behind, while Oss won the battle of the Italians over Petacchi.
The big name missing from the sprint battle was that of Cavendish; after having problems on the short, steep hills on the way to the finish, the Manxman lost contact with leadout man Mark Renshaw; the Australian Tour of Qatar winner was left to sprint for himself, taking fifth place.
Despite losing the stage, and the intermediate sprint battle with Boom, the time bonus for second place means that Farrar increases his slender lead; Haedo jumps over Boom to move into second place.
Result stage 3
1. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Saxo Bank-SunGard
2. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Cervélo
3. Daniel Oss (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
4. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Lampre-ISD
5. Mark Renshaw (Aus) HTC-Highroad
6. Robbie McEwen (Aus) RadioShack
7. Lloyd Mondory (Fra)
8. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky
9. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) OmegaPharma-Lotto
10. Thor Hushovd (Nor) Garmin-Cervélo
Standings after stage 3
1. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Cervélo
2. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg) Saxo Bank-SunGard @ 5s
3. Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank @ 6s
4. Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank @ 8s
5. Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank