. . . and welcome to VeloNews' Live Coverage of the third stage of the 2008 Giro d' Italia.

It's one for the sprinters - 221km from Catania to Milazzo, with the biggest bump coming early on, the category-3, 1017-meter ascent to Maletto, just 50km into the stage. The final 120km are largely flat, so look for a bunch gallop into Milazzo.

Starting in Catania, on the Ionian Sea at the foot of Mount Etna, the peloton will roll around Etna, heading inland towards Paternò, Biancavilla and then Maletto for the KOM. Then it's downhill toward Randazzo, Linguaglossa and Piedimonte Etneo, before taking the Ionian coastal road into the province of Messina via Giardini Naxos. The course proceeds through Messina, on a Tyrrhenian coastal road taking the field to Villafranca Tirrena, before the final stretch along a road providing a stunning view of Milazzo.

David Zabriskie is not among today's starters - the Slipstream-Chipotle rider was caught in a pileup with about 55km to go in stage 2, as the peloton approached a railroad crossing. The diagnosis was a fractured L1 vertebra, described as a painful but not serious injury.

Here's the top of the general classification as stage 3 gets under way:

1. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas, 6:15:16

2. Christian Vande Velde (USA) Slipstream-Chipotle, at 0:01

3. Chris Sorensen (Den), CSC, at 0:07

4. Danilo Di Luca (I), Team L.P.R., s.t.

5. Morris Possoni (I), Team High Road, at 0:08

6. Vincenzo Nibali (I), Liquigas at s.t.

7. Nicki Sorensen (Den), CSC, at 0:17

8. Bradley McGee (Aus), CSC, s.t.

9. Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr), Team High Road, at 0:18

10. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Team L.P.R., at 0:19

Catania has played host to the Giro many times before. Mario Cipollini won here in 1999, and Alessandro Petacchi added Catania to his palmares in 2003.

Milazzo was chosen as a finishing point during the 1961 Giro, marking the centenary of Italian unification. Turin's Nino Defilippis took the sprint in that 44th edition - you might keep an eye on Robbie McEwen (Silence-Lotto) this time around.

The peloton will enjoy a strong tailwind en route to the finish - until they turn around for the final dash to the line, straight into a head wind.

Milazzo sits on a gulf with two beaches: a stone beach to the west and a sandy one to the east. The promontory offers a breathtaking view extending from the Aeolian Islands to Etna. We expect the guys will be a little too busy to take notice, though.

Despite the presence of Mount Etna, the peloton has been anything but volcanic. After an hour of racing the average speed was just 31 km/h.

Emanuele Sella (Navigare) led the way over the only major obstacle of today's stage, the cat. 3 climb at Maletto. Second was Daniele Pietropolli (LPR Brakes) with Fortunato Baliani (CSF Group) third.

Jeremy Roy (Francaise des Jeux) had a go with 160km to race. He was joined by Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quick Step), Riccardo Chiarini (LPR Brakes), Matej Jurco (Milram), Mickaël Buffaz (Cofidis) and Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff).

One of the top favorites today will be Mark Cavendish. Before the start, the High Road rider told our man Andrew Hood that he's hoping to do well. "I hope to win at least one stage in this Giro. There aren't many stages for sprinters. Today is a good opportunity, but everyone is thinking the same thing. It should be fun."

Our leaders took a three-minute advantage into the feed zone.

You may recall that the Francaise des Jeux man was active in yesterday's break as well.

Liquigas is controlling the chase for the race leader.

Christian Vande Velde (Slipstream-Chipotle) is only one second from the recapturing the maglia rosa, but he said he won't be chasing it. "If it were a time trial, it might be different, but I'm no sprinter so I doubt I will be getting back the jersey."

While we wait for news from the road, here's the latest on Zabriskie - he's heading home to recover. According to Slipstream's official medical report, he sustained a compression fracture to the anterior aspect of his 1st lumbar vertebrae (happily, the moustache was undamaged). He suffered no neurological damage and isn't expected to have any in the future. The team said it's too early to talk about a return to competition.

Alberto Contador (Astana) said he felt better Sunday than he expected: "I was hurting on the final climb, but not as bad I thought I would be. My heart rate was very high and that's a sign that I'm not in racing shape right now. We'll see what happens in the next week before we decide if I ride to win or ride to support Levi or Andreas."

. . . is still ticking along, 126km into the day's labors. No urgency yet in the bunch. There's a ways to go yet.

Our leaders are Jeremy Roy (Francaise des Jeux), Kevin Seeldraeyers (Quick Step), Riccardo Chiarini (LPR Brakes), Matej Jurco (Milram), Mickael Buffaz (Cofidis) and Pavel Brutt (Tinkoff).

And the gap is coming down, albeit gradually. The break has about two and a half minutes' advantage after three and a half hours in the saddle.

Barloworld's Mauricio Soler had a difficult night after crashing during the second stage and hurting his left hand. Soler's hand is not swollen, and the pain eased after a massage, but it worsened again during the night and he started today's stage - which includes sections of pave - with a bandaged mitt and an analgesic. He'll get X-rays post-stage.

. . . is 2:22.

Riccardo Ricco was riding a customized Scott frame in his victory Sunday. His nickname, "The Cobra," was painted on the top tube and etched into his saddle.

We forgot to mention that former world champ Igor Astarloa (Milram) pulled out yesterday with a bad stomach. The boy has been plagued with nothing but bad luck since winning that rainbow jersey in 2003.

. . . is down to 2:05, and the roads are a bit damp.

With 70km to race, we're getting some light rain. Clouds are building at the finish - it could get wet and nasty for the finale.

We've had to pull the map of today's stage - which was actually a map of tomorrow's stage, as far too many of you have noticed. The staff cartographer has been disciplined, but he should be up and around by start time tomorrow.

The final 11km loop on the peninsula at Milazzo features a light climb of about 80 vertical meters in the first 5km and another short hump with 4km to go. That's followed by a gently descending run from 4km to 2km. From there it's a dead flat straightaway run to the finish.

It's 2:22 now. Time for the sprinters' teams to lend a hand.

And a big one.

. . . including David Millar. Yesterday's stage winner, Ricco, is on the deck too, along with Andre Greipel (High Road).

He's apparently injured his left hand, too.

. . . include High Road's Cavendish and Kanstantsin Sitsou.

We have 60-something kilometers to go.

Bad for the bunch, good for the break. Meanwhile, Cavendish and Ricco are back in business, if a tad battered.

. . . at 2:55.

The route is looping around the far northeast corner of Sicily at Ganzirri. Italy's "boot" is visible across the Straits of Messina. And the brisk tailwind the lads have been enjoying will become a head wind for the run into the finish.

Just over 2:30 with 54km to race.

Erik Zabel (Milram) is up toward the front - think he fancies his chances today?

Don't look for him to be bumping bars with the head-bangers today.

Greipel still hasn't made it back to the bunch. He landed hard on his left hand and arm, but still seems to be able to keep both hands on the bars.

. . . is Danielle Bennati. The Liquigas sprinter only returned to competition at the Tour de Romandie after a nagging knee problem sidelined him last fall. He won the first and last stages at the Vuelta a Espana - maybe he can win the first sprint stage in the Giro?

And the gap is down to 90 seconds.

The gap is 1:25.

CSC's moving up, too.

About 1:45 now. Tantalizing.

And Millar gets a little service from the team car as Bart Simpson looks on from roadside. D'oh!

. . . are still clinging to a lead of just over 90 seconds with 35km to go.

High Road is contributing to the pursuit.

The level of cooperation (and motivation) has clearly dipped a notch.

And the bunch has the break in sight.

But that's no surprise. The Aussie pocket rocket likes to stay quietly anonymous until the last moment. And he fancies his chances today: "There are not a lot of chances for sprinters in this year's Giro, so today we'll see if we can win one. My form is improving, but there are a lot of strong sprinters here this year. It won't be easy."

And here comes the catch.

One big happy famiglia again.

Gerolsteiner will be working for German sprinter Robert Forster, winner of a stage in each of the past two Giros. "The team is hoping to win a stage this first week. We were close with Rebellin yesterday and today we hope to put Forster in good position to have a shot. After that, we'll take chances when we can," said Oscar Gatto.

And Cavendish has moved up toward the front. Tinkoff is up front, too, alongside Barloworld, as the bunch gets split by some road furniture on a left-hand bend.

Backstedt is down, as is McGee.

He's not getting back on his bike. It was a wicked crash - looked like a Tinkoff rider swept too wide through a right-hander and slid off his bike into a curb. His bike bounced into the peloton and knocked down McGee, Backstedt and others.

He's out with an injury to his right shoulder. The peloton is riding piano, waiting for the wounded and delayed to catch back on.

And they're cranking. Looks like time and Danilo Di Luca wait for no one. Tinkoff is there, too, for Alberto Loddo.

. . . who overcooked that corner.

Everyone with a sprinter or a GC rider is trying to set up/protect their guys.

And there's McEwen, lurking around the front.

A Quick Step has a dig on this undulating run-in to the finish.

It was Andreas Tonti - and he's been caught.

They're clogging the roads - some so close that they have to step back to keep from getting T-boned.

An Astana this time - Antonio Colom? - dogged by two others.

Vincenzo Nibali rips it as Colom craters.

About six seconds is all, with just over 7km to race.

He's caught.

Milram's getting into the mix, along with Lampre - and a Silence-Lotto rider jumps! Jurgen Van den Broucke.

High Road runs him down. Bettini is up front, as are Cavendish, Vande Velde and Zabel.

. . . as is Graeme Brown. This is gonna be a hairy finish.

FDJ's Lilian Jegou has a dig - no soap.

Milram's running the show.

. . . 450 meters to go . . .

Not again!

Wow, that was some serious bar-banging, with Graeme Brown right in the thick of it.

That looked more like a bar fight than a bike race.

Zabel takes second and Hondo third.

Thanks for joining us today. We'll be back tomorrow with more live coverage. Meanwhile, stay tuned for a race report from European correspondent Andrew Hood, photos from Graham Watson and complete results.