91rst Giro d'Italia - Stage 3 After Race Comments
Stage winner Daniele Bennati, Riccardo Ricco,  Enrico Gasparotto, Maglia Rosa - Franco Pellizzotti and more...

After Race Rider Comments
In his first comments right after crossing the line, Daniele Bennati was darn happy at his first ever Giro victory, and did nothing to hide it. "It's just great. Wonderful. I benefited from the job done by Milram. That was the only thing I could do".

Daniele Bennati at the presentation. Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Riccardo Riccò, on the other hand was darn upset instead, and did nothing to hide it. "I'd better not speak, or I would say some unpleasant things". Still, he spent some words to criticize the race organizers because, in his opinion, today's parcours was too dangerous.

Franco 'Goldilocks' Pellizotti comes to the podium to collect his second maglia rosa, its a Liquigas day with Bennati taking the stage; and the lead of the race albeit an unchanged G.C. the Liquiguy's on top.  Vandevelde still in second place only a second back. Liquigas also add the maglia ciclamino jersey to their treasures with Bennati taking the points jersey.

Next in front of the microphones was Enrico Gasparotto, one of the leaders of the Barloworld legion. He shared Ricco's criticisms of the parcours ("Us riders have been on strike in order to get safer courses, but apparently it was pointless") and also used some colorful expressions to praise his teammates Soler ("Mauricio proved how gutsy he is. Few ones would have been able to finish such a hard stage like today's in his own conditions".

2007 Vuelta: Bennati wins the first stage besting Freire and Petacchi.
 Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

More comments from stage champion Daniele Bennati and his strong Tuscan accent: "I'm a very happy man today. I couldn't ask for more. I've won stages at Tour de France and La Vuelta in the past, but a Giro stage success is always something extraordinary to an Italian. I've also finished Tours and Vueltas, so this year, as I got back to the Giro after a long time, I want to honour the race, hopefully winning the cyclamen jersey".

And again: "I'm happy for the team too. They've been working hard throughout the stage, and still they were there, in front, to help me also at the end. I tried to take advantage of Milram's leadout work, threading my way between Velo and Zabel, but without running too many risks. I don't like taking excessive risks. Then I started my sprint about 250m from the line. And everything went fine".

Bennati admitted that he didn't need teammates leading him out to win, but also said (perhaps half-jokingly, we think ...), that he would not be unpleased if (Liquigas team manager) Roberto Amodio would provide him with a good leadout machine.

Bennati in Gold at the Vuelta a Espana 2007
 Photo © 2008 Fotoreporter Sirotti

Last, but not least, speaking of today's "tricky" parcours and its "impact", Bennati said that "the first stages of a Grand Tour are usually quite dangerous. But today's was in fact dangerous enough, especially the last kilometres. I was in the front places, but I think those at the back of the field must have had some very hard time in such narrow roads. I've been following many Giros, you know, and I've heard the same complaints all the time. Every year is the same story, unfortunately ...".

Franco Pellizzotti joined the Liquigas celebrations ("We got a nice stage win and held on to the jersey ... I think the team was great today") with the Maglia Rosa still on his shoulders. He kept the overall leader's mantle another day and joked about it ("I'm starting to get accustomed to this jersey"). Sure he thinks that he can surrender the jersey in the next stages, whose course is more appropriate to the likes of Riccó and Di Luca than to the "Dolphin from Bibione", but still aims at having it back (in case of really losing it) when harder stages come.

Liqui-DS Roberto Amodio echoed his words and didn't rule out the chance of losing the race leadership soon, but also warned any other wannabe Maglia Rosa holder: Pellizotti and Liquigas are not going to give up the jersey that easily; if the Di Lucas and Riccos of the peloton want to get it, they will have to earn it.

More to come..

Quick Top Ten G.C. Results:
1 PELLIZOTTI Franco ITA LIQ 11:52:17 0:00
2 VANDEVELDE Christian USA TSL 11:52:18 0:01
3 DI LUCA Danilo ITA LPR 11:52:24 0:07
4 POSSONI Morris ITA THR 11:52:25 0:08
5 NIBALI Vincenzo ITA LIQ 11:52:25 0:08
6 SORENSEN Nicki DEN CSC 11:52:34 0:17 U23
7 SIUTSOU Kanstantsin BLR THR 11:52:35 0:18
8 SAVOLDELLI Paolo ITA LPR 11:52:36 0:19
9 NOE' Andrea ITA LIQ 11:52:39 0:22
10 GASPAROTTO Enrico ITA BAR 11:52:42 0:25

Top ten results stage 3 (official)
 1 BENNATI Daniele ITA LIQ 5:37:01 0:00 20" Maglia Ciclamino
 2 ZABEL Erik GER MRM 5:37:01 0:00 12"
 3 HONDO Danilo GER SDA 5:37:01 0:00 8"
 4 FOTHEN Thomas GER GST 5:37:01 0:00
 5 LODDO Alberto ITA TCS 5:37:01 0:00
 6 FERNANDEZ Koldo ESP EUS 5:37:01 0:00
 7 DALL'ANTONIA Tiziano ITA CSF 5:37:01 0:00
 8 PEREZ ARANGO Marlon A. COL GCE 5:37:01 0:00
 9 CAVENDISH Mark GBR THR 5:37:01 0:00
 10 GATTO Oscar ITA GST 5:37:01 0:00  

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