ROME, March 13, 2009 (AFP) – American Tyler Farrar of the Garmin team won the third stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico race over 166km from Fucecchio to Santa Croce sull’Arno on Friday.

Farrar edged out Britain’s Mark Cavendish (Columbia) and Italian Enrico Rossi (Ceramica Flaminina) in a mass sprint finish.

Frenchman Julien El Fares (Cofidis), winner of Wednesday’s opening stage, maintained his 15-second lead in the overall standings from Italian Alessandro Petacchi (LPR).