Hondo wins second straight stage

Hondo leaves Leoni and Hauptmann trailing

Click here for stage result and overall positions

German Danilo Hondo has won his second successive stage in the Giro d'Italia, but Belgium's Rik Verbrugghe retains the overall leader's pink jersey despite a fall.

Deutsche Telekom rider Hondo produced a powerful sprint finish to win the 149-kilometre (92.3-mile) third stage, holding off a strong challenge from second-placed Endrio Leoni.

Hondo, who had won the previous stage in Lucera, raced into the lead 200 metres from the finish after the main group had caught up with a small breakaway group.

Andrej Hauptman of Slovenia finished third in the same time as Hondo and Leoni.

Verbrugghe picked up a pelvis injury in his fall

Verbrugghe maintained his advantage in general classification despite a fall midway through the stage from Lucera to Potenza.

He leads Dario Frigo of Italy by nine seconds and Jan Hruska of the Czech Republic by 13 seconds.

Initially, it appeared that Verbrugghe had emerged unscathed from his spill, but after the stage he complained of a sore pelvis.

He said: "After my fall nothing felt right. When I had to step up a gear I really felt the pain.

"I think I must have trapped a nerve because my right leg is numb.

"However, I've had this problem before and it has sorted itself out but in any case I will see an osteopath just as a precaution," he added.

So far, Verbrugghe and his Lotto team-mates have had little problem defending the race leadership, although the Belgian freely concedes he has no chance of winning the race.

Verbrugghe's team-mate Mario Aerts sustained a cut eyebrow in the crash, though he too made it to the finish.

The stage only really came to life in the final 10 miles, when Sergio Barbero, Gorazd Stangelj and Joaquim Lopez broke clear.

The trio were only reeled in the final mile.

Barbero of the Lampre team held on bravely, but he was swept up by the peloton as they closed in on the finish.

That was the cue for Hondo, racing in his first Giro only because of Erik Zabel's withdrawal, to make his move.

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Giro d'Italia: third stage results

1 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Telekom 3hr 44min 30sec
2 Endrio Leoni (Ita)
3 Andrej Hauptman (Slo)
4 Massimo Strazzer (Ita)
5 Davide Rebellin (Ita)
6 Stefano Garzelli (Ita)
7 Mario Manzoni (Ita)
8 Mariano Piccoli (Ita)
9 Gabriele Missaglia (Ita)
10 Giuseppe di Grande (Ita)
11 Vladimir Duma (Ukr)
12 Fortunato Baliani (Ita)
13 Andrea Noe (Ita)
14 Paolo Bossoni (Ita)
15 Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa)
16 Abraham Olano (Spa)
17 Dario Frigo (Ita)
18 Fredy Gonzalez (Col)
19 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita)
20 Ruben Marin (Col) all same time

Giro d'Italia: general classification

1 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Lotto 12hr 46min 55sec
2 Dario Frigo (Ita) at 09 sec
3 Jan Hruska (Cze) 13
4 Abraham Olano (Spa) 15
5 Gabriele Colombo (Ita) 18
6 Mariano Piccoli (Ita) 20
7 Wladimir Belli (Ita) 26
8 Jose Azevedo (Por) 28
9 Vladimir Duma (Ukr) 29
10 Ellis Rastelli (Ita) 30
11 Oscar Camenzind (Swi) 31
12 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) 33
13 Giuseppe Di Grande (Ita) 34
14 Jose Luis Arrieta (Spa) 39
15 Danilo Hondo (Ger) 41
16 Marco Pantani (Ita) 49
17 Andrea Noe (Ita) 51
18 Marco Velo (Ita) 55
19 Serguei Gontchar (Ukr) 56
20 Jon Odriozola (Spa) 56