American Tyler Farrar of the Garmin won the third stage at Tirreno-Adriatico, beating Mark Cavendish (Columbia) and Italy's Enrico Rossi (Flaminia) in a high-speed sprint finish.
Alessandro Petacchi (LPR) started the sprint very early; Cavendish swept past him and looked set to win the sprint but then Farrar came off his wheel with 100 metres to go and managed to match Cavendish's speed. Cavendish eased up before the line and Farrar threw his bike at the line, winning by half a bike length.
Cavendish did not stop after the sprint, heading straight to the Columbia team bus for the long transfer to Foligno for Saturday?s stage.
Farrar and Cavendish finished at least two bike lengths ahead of the other sprinters, who could only watch from behind. Robbie McEwen (Katusha) was fourth, Tom Boonen (Quick Step) was fifth, Stuart O?Grady (Saxo Bank) was sixth and Robert Hunter (Barloworld) was sixth. Roger Hammond and Daniel Lloyd again worked hard as part of a fast Cervelo lead out but Thor Hushovd was only ninth.
FARRAR?S FIRST BIG WIN
It was Farrar?s ninth career win but his first major sprint victory against the fastest finishers in the world. He was fifth in last year?s Paris-Tours but proved he has the speed to win when things go his way.
Stage one winner Julien El Fares of France finished in the bunch and so retained the overall race lead. Petacchi is second at 15 seconds.
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Tyler Farrar was amazed to have beaten all the best sprinters in the world.
?I felt that I was in good condition but to win in front of the other sprinters here is huge. It does a lot for my confidence and I hope it?s the first of many wins this year,? he said.
?I?ve won some smaller races but I?ve been searching for a victory against riders of this calibre for a few years. There?s no other word to describe it except fantastic.?
?My team mates Mike Friedman, Julian Dean and Martijn Maaskant worked really well for me in the final kilometres. Cavendish came inside me in the last corner and so I got on his wheel. I think he went a bit early and I could feel him slowing, so I took my chance.?
Farrar?s victory was the second win for the Garmin team this week after team leader Christian Vande Velde won stage four at Paris-Nice in France on Wednesday.
?Once a team starts winning, it just rolls on. Everyone believes more, as the same guy you beat at training camp just won, so why not me?? Team manager Jonathan Vaughters said in a Twitter message. Farrar agreed.
?My team is having a good week. Having Christian Vande Velde win in Paris-Nice mean these kinds of things build on each other and raises the moral of the team. Everyone is happy and optimistic. I hope someone else can win again and once you start going up things just get better and better.?
Farrar is not expected to be a contender at Milan-San Remo because of the long race distance and late climbs but he lives in Ghent and is targeting the Tour of Flanders and the Paris-Roubaix. Remember his name as he shares team leadership with Martijn Maaskant.
RIDERS FACE MUUR OF MONTELUPONE ON SATURDAY
After three days for the sprinters, Tirreno-Adriatico heads towards the Adriatic coast on Saturday for the 171km fourth stage from Foligno to Montelupone.
The stage ends with a short but brutal climb up to the finish line that is considered steeper than the Muur of Huy at Fleche-Wallonne.
Last year some riders were forced to walk up the climb after a 28 sprocket was not enough to get up the 20% sections. It should shake up the overall classification before the decisive 30km time trial on Sunday.
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