Niklas Axelsson (PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni) slipped into the leader's jersey at Tirreno-Adriatico on Friday after finishing third in stage 3.

Spaniard Joachim Rodriguez (Caisse d'Epargne) won the 195km leg from Gubbio to Montelupone with Italian Danilo Di Luca (Team LPR) second.

An early escape by Jose Garcia Acosta (Caisse d'Epargne) and Lloyd Mondori (Ag2r) took a lead of more than eight minutes before being swept up in the final 20km.

The route featured two ascents of the 1800-meter Montelupone, with some ramps as steep as 20 percent. On the first go-round, a crash took down Oscar Freire (Rabobank), Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and the explosive climber Italian Ricardo Ricco (Saunier Duval-Scott). All were able to remount and finish, with Ricco crossing nearly 16 minutes behind Rodriguez.

In the final ascent of the Montelupone, Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) made a daring break for it a kilometer from the line, but it was Rodriquez, who jumped 400 meters out, who got there first.

Saturday’s fourth stage is a 166km leg from Porto Recanati to Civitanova with a finish ideal for the sprinters.