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Lobato prevails on Dubai Tour Stage 3, consistent Nizzolo nabs lead

Movistar's Juan Jose Lobato (Spain) took the win on Friday's third stage of the Dubai Tour, surging to glory on the climb to the Hata Dam.

Movistar’s Juan Jose Lobato (Spain) took the win on Friday’s third stage of the Dubai Tour, surging to glory on the climb to the Hata Dam. Giacomo Nizzolo (Italy/Trek), third on the first two days of the race, was runner-up and slips the blue leader’s jersey off of Thursday winner Elia Viviani’s shoulders.

For the second day running, one-time Grand Tour threat Francisco Mancebo (Spain/Skydive Dubai) was in the breakaway, and he brought along four pals for the day’s expedition. The quintet began to dribble back to the peloton on the long, multi-part climb to the dam. A new breakaway formed on the steeper “horns” of the climb, but this too surrendered in the final 5-km as Movistar and Trek led the reduced bunch.

It appeared that the table was set for Philippe Gilbert (Belgium/BMC), as his Spanish teammate Sammy Sanchez swung off in the final corner. But it was Lobato’s move that was the decisive one and gave him his first triumph in just over a year. Nizzolo, one of the few sprinters who made the final selection, crossed the line two-seconds back. Gilbert had to settle for fifth.

Stage 1 winner Marcel Kittel (Germany/Etixx-QuickStep) did well enough on the dam to keep in contention for the all-around victory. He must make up 6-seconds on Saturday’s final flat stage that finishes at the Burj Khalifa. Mark Cavendish flatted on the descent of the last steep part of climb and finished over five-minutes back.

2016 Dubai Tour Stage 3
1) Juan Jose Lobato (Spain/Movistar) 4:13:23
2) Giacomo Nizzolo (Italy/Trek) +0:02
3) Silvan Dillier (Switzerland/BMC) +0:04

2016 Dubai Tour GC
1) Giacomo Nizzolo (Italy/Trek) 11:56:11
2) Juan Jose Lobato (Spain/Movistar) +0:02
3) Marcel Kittel (Germany/Etixx-QuickStep) +0:06