Tirreno-Adriatico 2008 Stage 3

Spaniard Joachim Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) won the third stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico cycling race over 195km from Gubbio to Montelupone.

Spanish Champion Joachim Rodriguez wins alone

Barloworld work for race leader Gasparotto, but he was to lose the jersey to Nicklas Axelsson

Clcik to see more pictures by Sirotti (Features a nasty climb offering great shots)

Italian Danilo Di Luca (LPR) finished second with Swede Niklas Axelsson (Diquigiovann)i, taking the new race lead after finishing third.

Stage favourite Ricardo Ricco of Italy fell behind after a fall.

The stage ended with an odd summit finish. In the final climb up to the Montelupone, with gradients as steep as 20 percent, the crash of one of the accompanying motorcycles forced a part of the peleton off their bikes.

1. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/GCE) 4hr 44min 59sec.
2. Danilo Di Luca (ITA/LPR) 0:12.
3. Nicklas Axelsson (SWE/SDA) 0:12.
4. Thomas Lovkvist (SWE/THR) 0:12.
5. Leonardo Piepoli (ITA/SDU) 0:17.
6. Enrico Gasparotto (ITA/BAR) 0:22.
7. Markus Fothen (GER/GST) 0:23.
8. Tadej Valjavec (SLO/A2R) 0:26.
9. Emanuele Sella (ITA/CSF) 0:26.
10. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/CSC) 0:26.

General Classification
1. Nicklas Axelsson (SWE/SDA) 13hr 56min 14sec.
2. Enrico Gasparotto (ITA/BAR) 0:10.
3. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/GCE) 0:18.
4. Linus Gerdemann (GER/THR) 0:24.
5. Danilo Di Luca (ITA/LPR) 0:32.
6. Thomas Lovkvist (SWE/THR) 0:40.
7. Markus Fothen (GER/GST) 0:50.
8. Emanuele Sella (ITA/CSF) 0:54.
9. Tadej Valjavec (SLO/A2R) 0:54.
10. Fabian Cancellara (SUI/CSC) 0:54.