“Alpecin – Fenix team Belgian cyclist Tim Merlier wins on Monday”Tour de France“Third stage. Primožs Rogličs, Tadejs Pogačars, Alehandro Valverde and others lost time in the fights in the fight for the overall rating.
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The Tour de France’s multi-day bike ride continued on Monday with a third leg of 182 kilometers. Although the distance included several relatively small ascents, this was the first stage of this year, which was scheduled for the finish of the big group. Toms Skujins with teammates for the sprint finish were ready to lead Madsu Pedersen, who is the fastest among the “Trek – Segafredo” men in the plain.
Five athletes took part in the start of the day, including in the first two stages, the former Dutchman Ide Schelling from “Bora – hansgrohe”, who also earned intermediate finals. The large group, meanwhile, suffered a series of falls. One of them entered one of the favorites Geraints Thomas, who injured his arm, but later managed to return to the peleton. Several drivers of the “Jumbo Visma” team also entered this fall. The athlete of this unit, Robert Gesink, was even forced to resign.
Approaching the finish, when the rebound was almost eliminated, another fall took place. Primožs Rogličs, one of the main favorites of the overall rating, entered and suffered. In the remaining ten kilometers to the finish, the Slovenian, with the support of his teammates, had to give up all his strength so as not to lose any hope for the overall rating. These were not the only falls. Shortly before the finish, a number of athletes fell on the descent. Among them are Tadic Pogachar, several Movistar, Trek – Segafredo and Bahrain Victourious riders.
Shortly before the finish, only a large group of about 20 drivers was in charge. At the head of the initiative was Matthew van der Pool in the overall leader’s shirt, who kept a great pace by helping his team’s sprinter Tim Merlier. In the last turn, in the fight for the position, Peter Sagan and Caleb Juan collided and fell. In the last meters, the leadership was protected by Merliers, bringing victory to the Alpecin – Fenix team for the second day in a row. He spent 4 hours 1 minute and 28 seconds in the distance. Second place went to his teammate Jasper Filipsen, and third was French sprinter Nasser Buan (“Arkea Samsic”).
Richard Karapazs and Žiljens Alafilips finished among the main favorites in the group leaderboard. Roglich and Miguel Angel Lopez lost 1 minute and 21 seconds, but Tadej Pogachar lost 26 seconds.
Toms Skujiņš and his teammates were late in the penultimate fall. Tom finished in the followers group 26 seconds behind the winner. The Latvian was ranked 45th. Together with Tom, the leader of “Trek – Segafredo” Bauke Mollema also finished.
In the overall standings, the leader’s shirt is retained by van der Poole, who is 8 seconds behind Alafilips. Richard Karapaz from Ineos took third place. He is separated from the leader by 31 seconds. Toms Skujiņš climbed to the 26th position, 2 minutes and 26 seconds behind van der Pool.
The bike ride will continue on Tuesday, when the 150-kilometer section of the plain will be completed.
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