April 26, 2003 – Yeterday's stage saw Fred Rodriguez
(Caldirola-Sidermec-Saunier Duval) take a long, tough stage that ended in a
rainy sprint. Canada's Michael Barry (USPS) launched an attack in the final
kilometers which just got caught at the line – Barry finished 10th. Here's
his report about today's stage:

Barry: Today we woke up to pouring rain and a 222-kilometer stage ahead of
us. When we arrived at the start, three hours after waking up and eating
breakfast, the rain had ceased and the skies were clearing. For the first
four hours the skies were clear and then the rain came down again and
stayed until we crossed the finishline.

The racing here has been fast but the rhythm is entirely different to that
in Europe. Talking with Freddy Rodriguez this morning on the line he
explained to us that here there is a cancellation factor in the race.
Essentially, in America when a break goes with all the top teams
represented, nobody works, and the break is effectively cancelled.

So, yesterday attacks were flying off the front all day but nothing was
sticking – the riders were cancelling each other out. In Europe, riders go off
the front to stay away or to get television coverage for their sponsors –
they generally don't attack and just sit up. Here teams will do everything
possible not to ride at the front to control the peloton or chase. They
jump with attacks until they tire themselves out or until a few riders
noodle off
the front and they're forced to chase or ride at the front as a last resort.

Ciao,
Michael

Stage 3 – Pine Mountain/Callaway to Rome 222 km

1. Fred Rodriguez /Caldirola-Sidermec-Saunier Duval 5:27:40
2. David Clinger /Prime Alliance Cycling Team
3. Antonio Cruz /US Postal
4. Uros Murn / Formaggi Pinzolo Fiave
5. Chris Horner /Saturn Cycling Team
6. Mauro Gerosa /Caldirola-Sidermec-Saunier Duval
7. Alex Candelario /Prime Alliance Cycling Team
8. Jeff Louder /Navigators Cycling Team
9. Henk Vogels /Navigators Cycling Team
10. Michael Barry /US Postal

Overall:

1. Henk Vogels /Navigators Cycling Team 15:08:35
2. Chris Horner /Saturn Cycling Team at 0:06
3. Nathan O'Neill /Saturn Cycling Team 0:07
4. John Lieswyn /7UP / Maxxis 0:14
5. David Clinger /Prime Alliance Cycling Team 0:15
6. Danny Pate /Prime Alliance Cycling Team 0:17
7. Roland Green /US Postal 0:18
8. David Zabriskie /US Postal 0:19
9. Miguel Angel Meza Flores /Schroeder Iron Cycling Team
10. Scott Guyton /Flanders-IteamNova.com both s.t.