Rohan Dennis Wins Third Stage Of Tour Of California, Wiggins' Overall Lead Narrows

DANVILLE, Calif. (AP) - Rohan Dennis of Australia surged within the final 300 yards to claim the hot and mountainous third stage and reduced Bradley Wiggins' race lead Tuesday in the Tour of California.

Dennis (Garmin-Sharp), who began the stage in second place overall with a 44-second deficit to Wiggins, completed the 108.5-mile road race to Mt. Diablo in 4 hours, 56 minutes and 2 seconds.

Tiago Machado (NetApp-Endura) of Portugal was second, trailing Dennis by 6 seconds. American Lawson Craddock (Giant-Shimano) was third, another 2 seconds back, in the stage that ended with a 4½-mile climb and with temperatures in the low 90s.

Wiggins, who took the race lead with his dominating Stage 2 time trial win in Folsom, finished ninth in the stage, trailing the leader by 20 seconds.

Wiggins, the 2012 Tour de France winner, leads Dennis by 24 seconds with five stages left. Machado is third overall, trailing by 1 minute and 5 seconds.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.