BERLIN, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- World championship silver medallist Erik Zabel sprinted to victory in stage three of the Tour of Germany in Offenburg.

    Defending champion Jens Voigt, however, still retained the yellow jersey.

    Zabel, Milram's caption, held off the challenge of Caisse d'Epargne's Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil, with Bradley McGee in third.

    T-Mobile's Gerald Ciolek fell on the home straight, ruining his chances of the stage win.

    Zabel's team-mate Niki Terpstra and Christian Leben of Wiesenhof had broken away after 12 kilometres, but Jens Voigt's CSC team kept the tempo high in the peloton and ensured the duo's lead would not last.

    Towards the end of the stage Levi Leipheimer, Davide Rebellin and Voigt himself were among a group of seven riders who broke away in search of the stage win, though they too were caught, this time by the T-Mobile led field.

    CSC caption Voigt finished safely in the peloton to conserve his yellow jersey ahead of Monday's fourth stage, during which, the riders will start to clime the German Alps.