Viviani nets first victory for Quick-Step Floors at Tour Down Under

Elia Viviani was the man of the day in the Tour Down Under, capitalizing Caleb Ewan’s moment of hesitation on the way to a maiden stage victory at the Australian World Tour race.

It was the hottest day of this year’s Tour Down Under, with temperatures hitting 47 degrees, and for that very reason the organizers decided to reduce the stage between Glenelg and Victor Harbor by 26 kilometers.

Despite the scorching heat, three riders broke clear from the outset of the stage and enjoyed a three-minute buffer before the peloton pegged them back one by one, with the catch being made on the final lap of the Victor Harbor circuit.

Michael Mørkøv dropped off Viviani with 200 meters to go and the Italian blasted past race leader Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton-Scott) despite the ground he had to make, taking a convincing victory by two bike lengths.

“Today it was very hot and that only made the stage harder. For that matter, it was very important to keep hydrating and make sure there’s some energy left in the tank for the final 200 meters. The guys did a perfect job today and I want to thank them for helping me get this win. The victory is important not only for the confidence, but also because it shows that I had a good winter preparation”, said Elia Viviani.

?? VIVIANI WINS ??@eliaviviani charges over the top of @CalebEwan to snatch @bigscreenvideo Stage 3!!! That was a monster finish!!#TDU pic.twitter.com/3BlV7ivKfi

— Santos Tour Down Under ?? (@tourdownunder) January 18, 2018

Tour Down Under 2018 – stage 3 results (Glenelg – Victor Harbor):

General classification after stage 3: