Stage 3: Mareczko makes it two
Jakub Mareczko of Wilier Triestina took his second stage victory and extended his lead in the overall classification over Jon Aberasturi (Ukyo) while Australian team IsoWhey Sports-Swisswellness made the podium again, with Anthony Giacoppo this time. He’s now 11 seconds ahead of his Spanish rival and 27 seconds ahead of the main peloton.
124 riders started stage 3 in Haikou. The Wilier Triestina team faced a lot of attacks whereas people expected only one breakaway before the final bunch gallop. Sergey Grechyn (Hainan Jilun), Stefan Bakker (Monkey Town), Ma Guangtong (Hengxiang) and Alexis Cartier (H&R Block) made the first move but it was over at km 18. Steven Cuesta (Hainan) and Liu Jiangpeng (Hengxiang) went clear before the first intermediate sprint at km 31 where Marco Zanotti (Monkey Town) gave a strong indication that he was racing for the overall classification throughout the time bonuses rather than the stages this time. Liu moved into the lead of the Best Asian rider classification as he won that sprint.
Before km 60, Joe Cooper (IsoWhey Sports-Swisswellness), Mykhaylo Kononenko (Kolss), Benjamin Hill (Attaque Gusto), Cartier and Ma again opened a gap. Kolss chased them down to catch them ahead of the only KOM price of the day at km 105, which appeared to be the most spectacular fight besides the finish itself. Hill had to contest it from the bunch after being reeled in. He was second to Benjamin Prades (Ukyo) while Vitaly Buts (Kolss) came third, just on time to retain the polka dot jersey.
Emil Liepins (Delko Marseille), Luke Mudgway (RTS-Monton), Marc De Maar (Hengxiang), Jordan Cheyne (Jelly Belly) and Zanotti made another break with 50km to go. Liepins and Zanotti were in theory some of Mareczko’s rivals for the sprint but they obviously had few hopes to beat him so they chose another way to contest the stage victory. Liepins, Mudgway and Cheyne were the last attackers caught with 6km to go. The Wilier Triestina team swallowed a last attacker from Bardiani CSF to deliver a second bunch sprint victory for Mareczko.
