In the third stage of the Italian stage race, all eyes were on the climb up the Passo dei Tre Termini, which lay thirty kilometres from the finish. After the breakaway was reeled in early, it was up to the GC contenders to make their mark for the first time this week.

Schiffer, Rowe and Smith climbed alongside the best and reached the summit of the 8-kilometre climb with a select group. Rowe, who normally rides for the Development Team, tried to get involved in the sprint for the stage win, but had to settle for ninth place.

"I’m very pleased with how the day went", sports director Robert Wagner said. "Anton, Elliot and William were part of a select group and did a fantastic job. For Elliot in particular, it was a test to see if he could handle this. And yes, he has shown that he can. I’m particularly proud of that. In his second year with our team, he has taken a great step forward."

Both Schiffer and Rowe are well placed in the general classification. Both riders are twelve seconds behind overall leader Mauro Schmid. "Tomorrow’s stage isn’t as tough as today’s. If it comes down to a sprint, Elliot can go for it again. The final day is going to be a real grueller. We’ll do our absolute best to secure a good result."