It's another flat circuit stage. Somehow the race organisers have found a few bumps in the road which they're calling cat 4 climbs so an opportunity for some KOM points.
Yesterday's winner not even on the favourites list. It will be interesting to see who can get themselves sorted this time around. Will the trains produce a winner or will one of the lone wolves get the job done again?
We have our established breakaway with 152km to go in the stage. The group of 7 has a gap at the moment of 2'49. The Peloton was sure not to allow any more riders in this one. Rutsch Moricz Tanfield Eaton, Verona Stannard Arslanov
Moricz just wins the first KOM sprint and moves to a point off the KOM lead.
The 2nd of 4 KOM sprints and this time it's Arslanov who wins it. Moricz picks up 1 point and moves level with the KOM leader. He'll have a chance to make it outright next time. Their gap to the Peloton with 113km to go is 3'41.
It's close at the 3rd KOM but the organisers have awarded this one to Arslanov. Moricz does pick up a point and move into the KOM lead though! 82km to go and the lead down to 3'05. The same teams as yesterday are on the front again.
The final KOM of the day and Moricz does win this one. He moves to 22 points, Rutsch moves into 2nd with 17 points while Arslanov is now 5th with 14. They still have a 2'36 gap with 50km remaining.
The gap is now only 1'53 with 38km remaining. It's Minions, Aegon and ISA doing the work today. Hopefully their sprinters can repay this.
19km left and the Peloton now 41 seconds back with the breakaway well within their sights.
It was a resilient effort from the breakaway but they are all swept up with 7km remaining. This one will come down to a sprint.
2.5km to go and we're not near as organised as yesterday. The situation is a bit like this:
Harrison
Lindeman
Degenkolb
Vesely
Rowe
Guerao
Swift
Scully
Samalenkov
Groenewegen
Liu
Page
Holloway
1.5km now to go and Degenkolb leaves the slipstream with Rowe close behind him. Vesely goes to the right side. The line behind them staying within reach.
With 700m to go it's the front 3 of Vesely, Degenkolb and Rowe who look like their gap is too big to those behind them now.
500m and they've taken this one wide which invites Groenewegen and others to take them on the inside!
And indeed they went too early.
This looks like it'll be between Liu, Groenewegen and Samolenkov.
It's very close on the line but Liu wins Stage 3! Samolenkov has to settle for 2nd.
Groenewegen is 3rd ahead of Scully and Swift. Page is 6th and Holloway 7th.
It looked promising at one point for them but Vesely ends up 8th, Degekolb is 9th and Rowe completes the Top 10.
Moricz takes the KOM lead but will likely need to be in the breakaway again to seal this one.
The Points jersey also changes shoulders and ends up with Groenewegen for his consistency. It's a narrow lead though so he'll have a job to do tomorrow!
Cheshire Cycling Tour Stage 3 - Report 
