Cipollini snatches stage victory

Cipollini has 36 stage wins in the Giro

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Mario Cipollini produced an explosive sprint finish to claim victory on stage three of the Giro d'Italia and his 173rd career stage win.

The 35-year-old star, who rides for the Acqua e Sapone team, edged fellow Italian Massimo Strazzer and Germany's Danilo Hondo for his second stage win in three days.

Italy's Stefano Garzelli, of the Mapei team, retained the overall leader's pink jersey by finishing in the same time as the winner.

"I'm overjoyed. It was the result of a great teamwork and my power," said Cipollini.

His 36th win in Giro stages lifted the Tuscan cyclist five short of an all-time record of 41 held by Italian great Alfredo Binda.

Cipollini completed the 206km course from Verviers, Belgium, to Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, in five hours, 46 minutes, 57 seconds.

Wednesday's fourth stage is from Esch-sur-Alzette to Strasbourg in France, followed by a rest day on Thursday.

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Stage 3 results
Verviers (Bel) to Esch-sur-Alzette (Lux), 206kms

1 Mario Cipollini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Cantina Tollo 5hrs 46mins 57secs
2 Massimo Strazzer (Ita) Phonak Hearing Systems
3 Danilo Hondo (Ger) Team Telekom
4 Isaac Galvez Lopez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca
5 Mykhaylo Khalilov (Ukr) Colombia-Selle Italia
6 Graeme Brown (Aus) Ceramiche Panaria-Fiordo
7 Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo
8 Steven De Jongh (Ned) Rabobank
Di Biase (Ita) Formaggi-Trentini
10 Sven Teutenberg (Ger) Phonak Hearing Systems, all same time.

Overall classification

1 Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Mapei-Quick Step 16hrs 57mins 42secs
2 Fabrizio Guidi (Ita) Team Coast at 13secs
3 Rik Verbrugghe (Bel) Lotto-Adecco at 0.19
4 J Carlos Dominguez (Spa) Phonak Hearing Systems at 0.21
5 Matthias Kessler (Ger) Team Telekom at 0.27.