There are no major changes for the favourites for stage 3.
And even the break is the same as yesterday. KoM leader Muhindo is joined by U25 leader Simmons.
The young American wins the first KoM sprint. The two leaders have a gap of 4 minutes.
It’s the same order at the first intermediate sprint.
Dainese wins the sprint for 3rd.
Simmons also takes the second KoM sprint. He’s now on 15 points. Muhindo is still the classification leader with 19 points.
Simmons also wins the last sprint of the day.
Coquard takes 3rd place from the pack. The gap is down to 1’30 with 68 km to go.
The break is over with 37 km to go.
With 10 km to go we have the usual three trains. This whole stage is kind of a déjà-vu.
We have five trains with 4.5 km to go, each still consisting of 2 leadouts.
Coquard was the first to launch his sprint. With 500 m to go he works himself through the remaining leadout riders. Dainese, Walls and Ewan are his first chasers.
The French veteran is still in the lead with 200 m to go. Dainese is his hardest opponent.
And Coquard takes the win! Dainese and Ewan complete the podium. Walls, Adomaitis and Peak finish in 4th to 6th. Nommela, Liu, Willwohl and El Sabbahi complete the top 10.
Congratulations to Coquard who also rises to 4th in the GC and points classification. All leaders remain the same.