Return Flight, Ale-Jet Doubles - Stage 3 Giro d'Italia Centoanni

As if to prove his Stage 2 victory was no fluke, Alessandro Petacchi (LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini) once again showed the way to the finish line at the 100th Giro d'Italia. His victory marked his 21st (five stage wins from the 2007 Giro d'Italia were forfeited due to a non-negative for the asthma medicine, Salbutamol) Giro d'Italia career win.

Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) and Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre - NGC) would round out the day's podium.

In this hypersensitive world of doping and discovering the next drug cheat, it would be easy to dismiss the recent accomplishments of the man known as Ale-Jet simply as a result of his return to or use of a new and undetectable performance enhancer; once a drug cheat always a drug cheat. And while my own views on the subject have definitely hardened over the years because of the never ending cavalcade of doping news stories, it would be equally unjust not to give credit when credit is due.

Peatcchi's back-to-back victories signal a return to a previous version of his dominant self. Now whether it is good enough to elevate him back into the pantheon of the greatest sprinters ever remains to be seen. In his time away from the spotlight, younger riders have amply picked up the speed mantle and delivered it with impressive results. But like his predecessor, Mario Cipollini, it would be a great mistake to underestimate Petacchi's sprinting prowess in the grand tour he has virtually owned.

Results
1. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) LPR Brakes-Farnese Vini
2. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream
3. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.

General Classification After Stage 3
1. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini
2. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream
3. Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad
4. Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia - Highroad
5. Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana
6. Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini
7. Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana
8. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana
9. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) ISD
10. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.

Next: Stage 4 - Padova - San Martino di Castrozza, 162km
The Giro d'Italia has played second fiddle to the Tour de France for a number of years, but the organizer's creativeness in choosing the parcours in recent years has certainly brought the race back into the forefront. The first mountain stage comes after only two relatively flat stages.