Ireland's O'Brien and Rafferty pass first big test at U23 Giro

Liam O'Brien is in this U23 Giro d'Italia with a real chance of winning it and he passed the first big test today (Photo: Fabien Lenfant)

Liam O'Brien (Lidl Trek Future Racing) and Adam Rafferty (Hagens Berman Jayco) were on the right side of all the splits on the first general classification day at the Giro d'Italia Next Gen today, Tuesday.

With well over 3,000m of elevation gain, the route always looked like it was going to produce a very attritional stage in hot conditions, and that's what exactly came to pass. And the two Irish riders have made the first key selection.

A breakaway that went early once again made it all the way, as was the case on Sunday's opening stage. Most of the action back the road was at the rear of the peloton, with riders succumbing to the lumpy terrain and being spat out.

In a near identical finish to stage 1, the strongest in the breakaway - which initially numbered six - survived to fight for the victory, though they crossed the finish line with the peloton literally on their back wheels.

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Jasper Schoofs (Soudal Quick-Step DT), Simone Zanini (XDS Astana Development Team) and Matteo Vanhuffel (Development Team Picnic PostNL) were the three survivors from the breakaway.

Belgium's Jasper Schoofs of Soudal Quick-Step Devo Team wins stage 3 at Giro d'Italia Next Gen from Sibari to Villa d'Agri di Marsicovetere (Photo: Fabio Ferrari)

Belgian Schoofs claimed the victory from Zabini and Vanhuffel, with Daan Dijkman UAE Team Emirates Gen Z) winning the bunch sprint, on the same time as the top three.

Those three breakaway riders were up the road for 146km of the 166km stage from Sibari to Villa d'Agri di Marsicovetere, with Schoofs taking the race leader's maglia rosa on time bonuses.

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The bunch was trimmed right back, to just 38, riders, as the elevation gain really took its toll. Rafferty and O'Brien were in that group.

Seth Dunwoody (Bahrain Victorious Development) and David Gaffney (Hagens Berman Jayco) both finishing in a group at 10:39 in 132nd and 133rd.

Because so few riders were in the main field at the finish today, O'Brien and Rafferty are now among a group of 35 riders effectively all equal 4th overall some 13 seconds behind Schoofs.

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