The second of the two non cobbled flat road stages and everybody is talking about that late burst from Azizulhasni Awang
This really is the last chance you would suspect for Saïd Haddou
but as we saw with Awang and Ino Ilesic
yesterday the Frenchman is not unbeatable.
The pack seem to think it may be a sprinters day as only six riders go for the day's break.
In the break are Juri Yuda Kenny Geluykens Hossaini Reza Peter Hatton Robert Retschke
and Cyril Lemoine
Geluuykens takes the morning sprint ahead of Retschke and Hatton. Though the points and time bonuses at this stage are rather redundent following that first stage breakaway.
Still if the riders stay clear then they will make a big move on GC, Delhaize are determined not to let that happen and are in full chase mode as we enter the last 75km.
Indeed they do a great job steadily reeling the break in but not too fast allowing the break riders to take the two other sprint points. Lemoine taking the first ahead of Geluykens and Hatton with Retschke edging out Lemoine in the third Geluykens getting third.
Coming into the finale, the catch made with 9km to go, Alstom take over the pace making duties ensuring no late attacks.
Mike Friedman
who attached himself to the wrong wheel yesterday is the man on Saïd Haddou
's wheel. As we go to the overhead we can see other sprinters lined up behind Friedman, the exception is a late move by Samsung Mol with Awang.
Timing is always the issue here, the riders behind Friedman in order are: Victor Gomes Colinas Tigran Korkotyan Ino Ilesic Gorik Gardeyn
and Tuguldur Tuulhangai
It's a bit of a strange one here as Haddou loses his leaders wheel inexplicaply slowing down and the Samsung Mol riders nip past.
As we enter the last kilometer sensing a second stage win Awang launches with Gardeyn looks to move across onto the wheel of the Samsung riders. In the meantime Haddou does find his leadout Fabien Bacquet
he does now have Games Colines, Friedman, Korkotyan and Illesic queued up to have a pop at him now though.
Haddou has been holding something back here and lifts his pace to smoothly move past Awang who begins to regrest his early launch.
Haddou actually timed his sprint really well today winning stage three very comfortably.
Behind the fading Awang and Bacquet get overtaken by first Korkotyan who takes second and then in a photo from nowhere Thomas Murray, Freidman is 4th.
Delhaize can celebrate a third day in the leader's jersey before tomorrow's TT and the final hilly stage.
