Bunch finish sees Martin stay in touch ahead of 31km time-trial

Ireland’s Dan Martin finished safely in the main bunch on yesterday’s third stage of the five-day Bayern-Rundfahrt stage race in Germany.

The Garmin-SHARP rider came over the line in 106th place in the same time as stage winner Gerald Ciolek (MTN Quebeka) and is now 40th overall at 57 seconds.

Martin will hope to move up in today’s individual 31km time-trial, as the race is part of his preparation for July’s Tour de France.

Meanwhile, yesterday’s 19th stage of the Giro d’Italia from Ponte di Legno to Val Martello was cancelled due to bad weather — and there is no guarantee today’s stage will go ahead either.

Two of the major climbs on the stage had already been axed due to snow, and officials were forced to admit defeat in their fight to keep the rest of the stage open.

Italian Vincenzo Nibali still leads by four minutes and two seconds from Australian Cadel Evans and Team Sky’s Rigoberto Uran, fighting it out for second place.

Elsewhere, Vini Fantini-Selle Italia rider Danilo Di Luca has been provisionally suspended by the International Cycling Union after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs for the second time in his career.