UCI Euro tour

THUIN, Jul 30 (CP) - Italian Giuseppe Palumbo has won the third stage in the Tour de la Région Walonne. Home rider Greg van Avermaet came in second.

The stage was 217 kilometers long and led from Chièvres to Thuin.

A lead group with riders as Geert Omloop and Angelo Furlan was caught in the last kilometer, and a sprint on the 'Wall of Thuin' was needed to point out who would win the stage.

In that sprint, Acqua and Sapone rider Palumbo showed to have the best legs and beat Van Avermaet for victory.

Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez of Unibet.com, who finished eighth in this stage, maintains his overall lead.

Stage results:

1. Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita-ASA) 5h10'24"
2. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel-PRL) s.t.
3. Antonio Bucciero (Ita-PAN) s.t.
4. Wouter Weylandt (Bel-QSI) s.t.
5. Karsten Kroon (Ned-CSC) s.t.
6. Nikolas Maes (Bel-JAC) s.t.
7. Janek Tombak (Est-JAR) s.t.
8. Luis Pasamontes Rodriguez (Esp-UNI) s.t.
9. Lloyd Mondory (Fra-A2R) s.t.
10. Erik Pütsep (Est-BTL) s.t.

General classification:

1. Luis Pasamontes (Esp-UNI) 12h29'43"
2. Luca Celli (Ita-LPR) 0'07"
3. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel-PRL) 0'30"
4. Giuseppe Palumbo (Ita-ASA) 0'36"
5. Wouter Weylandt (Bel-QSI) 0'38"
6. Antonio Bucciero (Ita-PAN) 0'42"
7. Veikkan Jussi (Fin-FDJ) 0'44"
8. Nikolas Maes (Bel-JAC) 0'46"
9. Frédéric Amorison (Bel-LAN) s.t.
10. Marco Marcato (Ita-LPR) s.t.

Points classification:

Greg Van Avermaet (Bel-PRL)

Mountains classification:

Luca Celli (Ita-LPR)

Sprints classification:

Luis Pasamontes (Esp-UNI)

Young riders classification:

Greg Van Avermaet (Bel-PRL)

Teams classification:

Team LPR (Sui)

Results by Chantal Brookman

© Jonathan Roorda