Victory in Stage 2 gave Domenico Pozzovivvo a commanding lead in the race, with an advantage of over a minute. Will he look to extend that today, or simply consolidate it? The stage ends downhill at Punta Veleno, but not before the hardest and steepest climb of the race.
Expect challenge to come from the only realistic contenders to Pozzovivvo remaining: Timofey Kritskiy, Rein Taaramae, Robert Kiserlovski, Jaroslav Popovych and Jose Alarcon. And perhaps another of the strong climbers in the race will be more determined than every today, to make up for their Stage 2 performance?
We can expect a battle royale on the main climb - chances are that if somebody can take the summit alone, the stage is theirs.
We have a 7 man breakaway today. It was a good move to be in the breakaway yesterday, will it be the same this time?
George Alexandru Stancu Juan Gelabert Patrick Schelling Tomoyuki Iino Davide Villella Carlos Alberto Ospina Muradjan Khalmuratov
Stancu won the intermediate sprint uncontested, ahead of Gelabert and Schelling, as we close in on the first of today's big two climbs. They lead by around 7 minutes.
Vespa-Aprilia have controlled the peloton all stage, but once we start climbing, their control is inevitably challenged by attacks. First is Mauricio Ardila.
The Colombian quickly builds a minute's advantage, so Daniel Eduardo Silva and Mikayil Krasnoperov decide to attack as well.
Krasnoperov rides away from Silva, who seems set to fall back to the peloton, before Franco Pellizotti joins him and together they move clear to chase the Ukrainian, and also Ardila who is riding well.
The break reach the summit, and Khalmuratov takes maximum points ahead of Iino. To challenge Signorini, the break will need to stay clear over the big forthcoming climb - a tough ask.
Theo Eltink and Gianpaolo Caruso both attack next.
This awakens the 'danger duo' from Stage 2: Domenico Pozzovivvo and Jose Alarcon!
But this time Rein Taaramae isnt going to let them get away, and counters their move - followed by Thomas Lovkvist.
They soon reach the summit, and the time gaps are as follows:
All attackers from Krasnoperov downwards are caught though, leading Robert Kiserlovski to try a move on the descent - and he does get a gap.
That is brought back, so we hit the flat connecting section before the decisive climb. Energy conservation is not a well known skill though, it seems, and on a very small hill we see Pozzovivvo, Robert Vrecer, Eltink, Alarcon, Caruso and Lovkvist attack.
They build a 36 seconds lead, but then are joined by Taaramae and Jaroslav Popovych, and are caught by the peloton soon after. There is 20km to go, Ardila has now caught the break, but their lead is falling fast.
Taaramae decides another move on the flat is worthwhile, and attacks across to them.
Unfortunately for the Estonian, they are all caught after that - and we begin the steep 8km climb up Punta Veleno in a situation of status quo.
Obviously it doesnt last. First Caruso and then Timofey Kritskiy make a move.
Kritskiy is a marked man though, as Pozzovivvo personally chases him down.
Vitor Rodrigues and Lovkvist try next. No luck.
So now Peter Stetina and Popovych give it a go.
With gradients at 14% right now, it takes a lot to get clear, and nobody has it yet. Vespa are in command with David Loosli and Dario Cataldo providing the support for Pozzovivvo.
Taaramae decides to try again. Krasnoperov, Caruso, Osella, Alarcon and Ji all try to do the same, but only the Bouygues rider gets a gap. The important thing here being that somebody has actually achieved a gap!
But as with Kritskiy previously, Pozzovivvo has identified Taaramae as a danger man, so chases him down.
Can David Abal or Jianhua Ji fare any better?
As you might have guessed by now, the answer is no. The same applies to Eltink, Krasnoperov and Kritskiy who had tried to follow them.
Into the final 5 kilometres, and Stetina tries again. Krasnoperov and Igor Anton are also involved.
But as is becomingly increasingly clear, steep roads does not lead to good racing. Most have tried now to break away, but their attacking motion lasts barely a few seconds because they sit back down in the saddle.
Now it is Stijn Devolder's turn. The first real time we've seen him near the front all race!
Michele Scarponi tried to follow but it was a rather sorry looking attack. The pedals went round, but he made no progress. But hang on a minute, Devolder is riding away here!
We are still on gradients of up to 15%, but the Belgian has found the secret key to unlock the peloton and stop them chasing him down!
Pellizotti, Marco Osella, Pozzovivvo and Alarcon now believe the time is right for their move away.
I wonder if Stijn Devolder has climbed this well since he won the Tour de France many seasons ago? He hits the summit with a minute's lead.
And curiosly, of the 4 to attack after him, it is only the weakest of them who can get away - Osella riding strongly for Cisco.
Stetina also tries to go clear as Cataldo looks to follow him without actually attacking.
Rodrigues edges past Signorini on the line, but Meiji's Italian pure climber picks up a few points and thus slightly extends his King of the Mountains lead.
Kritskiy, Popovych and Krasnoperov also try to attack over the top but start a little far back to really get anywhere before the road turns downwards.
Stetina does get a gap however!
In the lead, Devolder is already in the final kilometre.
Stage 2 may have ended his General Classification hopes, but today he rescues his race in style. Its victory for Stijn Devoler and Pivovarna Lasko!
The sprint is well under way in the peloton as they look to chase down Stetina for the chance of bonus seconds.
Marco Osella holds on for 2nd place - that time bonus will put him into the GC Top 10.
Stetina found himself absorbed by the pack in the sprint though, and instead it is Timofey Kritskiy who sprints to 3rd place, just ahead of Abal, Pozzovivvo and Taaramae.
It slightly reduces Pozzovivvo's lead but just as importantly strengthens the Russian's grip on 2nd. It also makes the Points classification very close - Pozzovivvo now leading Kritskiy by just 1 point.
39 riders finished in the peloton - much more than was probably expected. 19 of yesterday's 20 attacking riders are in there, the only man missing was Salgueiro, who had worked on front of the peloton during much of the stage. He is down to 20th in GC, but still more than 4 and a half minutes ahead of Devolder, who is now into 21st.
