Metaphorically, the 2km, 400-foot cobblestone ascent up Namur’s Citadelle hill represented the end of a very long climb for Stefan Schumacher.

In a literal sense, it marked the passage from up-and-coming rider to the new holder of the 2006 Giro d’Italia’s maglia rosa. Indeed, the 24-year-old Gerolsteiner’s win of the rain soaked, stage 3 slog from Perwez to Namur was as big and bold as they come.

Following a day marred by crashes — including one that left Italian sprint star Alessandro Petacchi nearly 15 minutes off the back and eventually out of the race — Schumacher jumped away from Discovery Channel’s Jose Rubiera in the waning moments of the 202km stage, then sailed across the line alone to take the biggest victory of his career. In the process, Schumacher also snatched the Giro’s pink jersey away from stage 1 winner and defending champion Paolo Savoldelli (Discovery).

Both feats went a long way to erasing a string of bad luck and disappointment for a rider who was dropped by T-Mobile after the 2003 season, and then briefly suspended for failing a doping test in 2005. The failed test related to an asthma medication was later overturned, but not before Schumacher missed the biggest months of last season.
FULLRESULTS

“The last year was heavy for me,” said Schumacher, who crossed the line in 5:14:14, two seconds ahead of Rubiera and six up on a group of seven that included Savoldelli and pre-stage favorite Paolo Bettini. “I was not guilty at all. It was a strange situation. But now it’s over and today is a great day for me.”

The end game of Monday’s stage began when Rubiera, one of a dozen or so crash victims on the day, darted away from the dwindled peloton just as it began the switchback climb from the shores of the Meuse River up to the Citadel above. Bettini (Quick Step-Innergetic) was next to go, with Schumacher jumping hard on his wheel.

“I was with Bettini and behind Rubiera,” Schumacher explained. “I think at about 800 meters from the finish I saw that Bettini couldn’t close the gap to Rubiera. I saw that he was having problems. But I wasn’t blocked and I said okay now go to the finish. Then I started to sprint at 400 meters because I was worried they would come from the back and it was enough.”

Schumacher, a grand tour first timer, now leads Savoldelli (Discovery Channel) by 13 seconds, with Gerolsteiner teammate Davide Rebellin in third overall at 0:23. Rebellin was also third on the stage, overtaking Bettini on the run in to the finish.

Afterwards Bettini said a race vehicle had slowed him.

"When I made my move to catch Rubiera, I was blocked by an official race moto and I lost my rhythm," Bettini told the AFP. "At that instant, Schumacher attacked and I was not able to follow."

Schumacher offered a slightly different version.

“When I was with Bettini there was a problem with the motorbike,” he said. “But it was like 2km from the finish when he started to attack.

“I knew today that if I won the stage I would take the jersey. I said to myself it’s the best tactic to do this race like a one-day race. I tried to win the stage and the rest would work out. For any rider it’s a great feeling to wear the pink jersey and win a stage of the Giro.”

Petacchi’s troubles
On the other end of the emotional spectrum was Italian superstar Petacchi. The 19-time Giro d’Italia stage winner crashed hard during the final hour of the race, and limped across the line with three Milram teammate escorts, 14:38 behind Schumacher.

“There was a crash about five wheels in front of me,” said Petacchi, who was swarmed by dozens of journalists as he tried to get into his team car at the finish. “I tried to stop myself. But the bike slipped out from me. I would have stayed up, but then [Dario] Cioni came in and took my wheel out. I fell down really hard. The pain to the knee was suddenly very strong. In the rain it got worse and worse. That’s why I stopped to get treatment from the doctor. In the last kilometer it felt much better. I want to stay. I want to try tomorrow. If there was a true problem I would not have finished. For this I think I will be able to go tomorrow.”

He would be proven wrong, however; the kneecap was shown to be fractured, and instead of starting Tuesday's stage Petacchi will return to Italy for surgery (see the AFP story here).

Just as with stage 2, there was only one real break on consequence on Monday. The move included Amael Moinard (Cofidis), Markel Irizar (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Moises Chavez (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare) and Raffaele Illiano (Selle Italia). That foursome came together early just 20 kilometers in the race, built a gap of that crested near 4 minutes, before being reeled back in with just 20km to go.

Most of the work was done by Bettini’s Quick Step team, but it was Schumacher who benefited most.

“I think today [T-Mobile] knows they made a mistake,” Schumacher said of his former team. “It was a really hard situation for me. When you don’t get a contract for the big teams it’s not easy to make it back. I had to go to a division 3 team and prove myself all over."

Consider the job done.

Next up at the Giro is the last of four stages in Belgium, a 193km trip from Wanze to Hotton, which traverses the Ardennes and includes two Liège-Bastogne-Liège climbs, the Côte de Wanne and Haute-Levée. Both climbs come before the halfway point, and the rolling roads over the final 80km favor a regrouping and a probable mass sprint. After that the Giro caravan will head straight to the airport in Liege for the transfer to Italy.

There is a rest day on Wednesday, as team vehicles and the entire logistical operation that is the Giro d’Italia makes the long trip by road to Piacenza-Cremona for Thursday’s 38km team time trial.

Result – Stage 3Results – Stage 3
1. Stefan Schumacher (G), Gerolsteiner, 202km in 5:14:41
2. José Luis Rubiera (Sp), Discovery Channel, at 0:02
3. Davide Rebellin (I), Gerolsteiner, at 0:06
4. Paolo Bettini (I), Quick Step-Innergetic, at 0:06
5. Philippe Gilbert (B), Francaise des Jeux, at 0:06
6. Jens Voigt (G), CSC, at 0:06
7. Andrea Moletta (I), Gerolsteiner, at 0:06
8. José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., at 0:06
9. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Discovery Channel, at 0:06
10. Franco Pellizotti (I), Liquigas-Bianchi, at 0:09
FULLRESULTSOverall Standings, after 3 stages
1. Stefan Schumacher (G), Gerolsteiner, 10:14:04
2. Paolo Savoldelli (I), Discovery Channel, at 0:13
3. Davide Rebellin (I), Gerolsteiner, at 0:23
4. José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., at 0:29
5. José Luis Rubiera (Sp), Discovery Channel, at 0:31
6. Serhiy Honchar (Ukr), T-Mobile, at 0:31
7. Bradley Mcgee (Aus), Francaise des Jeux, at 0:31
8. Francisco Perez Sanchez (Sp), Caisse d'Epargne-I.B., at 0:32
9. José Gutierrez Cataluna (Sp), Phonak, at 0:33
10. Michael Rogers (Aus), T-Mobile, at 0:37
FULLRESULTS

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