Stage 3 is the cobbled road race stage of the Tour of Northern Europe. Last year the top cobblers used it as a launchpad to strong GC results, this year most of them threw that away on the last stage. It could make for an interesting break.
The stage is 158k with the cobbles all concentrated in the last 40k into Oudenaarde. The riders also deal with the Quaremont, Paterberg and Eikenberg in that same window, the first KOM points will be awarded on those climbs. There is also one sprint point.
Pedersen and Siric are among the stage favorites, they are some of the few cobblers who didn’t lose time yesterday. The only other one on the favorites list who didn’t lose time yesterday was Spengler.
The break forms quickly, 6 riders. While Rabobank and Carlsberg are represented it isn’t their big cobblers in the break. Instead it is: Malacarne, Vangheluwe, Le Berre, Kielich, Gregoire, and Tolhoek. Their lead is 3’22 with 147k to go. Grieg and Evonik in control in the peloton.
Evonik haven’t been living up to expectations so far this year and maybe the DS has decided to crack the whip as they are chasing again and with 96k to go the lead is 1’30. Calmejane on the front.
95k and the hard chase splits the peloton with about 40 riders up front and there is confusion in the 2nd group about who should chase. We will take a look at the groups if it persists but at least Fastned will need to chase as Vansevenant has missed it.
It is Gazelle (Ponomar, Kubis, Chokri) perhaps riding for Aleotti who take up the chase which results in further splits. Lierse on the front of the third group. There isn’t much wind but the rain may be making conditions challenging. Up front Tolhoek has been dropped from the break whose lead is 1’22.
80k gone, Gregoire dropped from the break and caught by the first peloton led by Bauhaus. The surviving foursome have 1’12. Key names in the first peloton include Pedersen, Altur, Kamyshev, Vermeersch, Herregodts, Wirtgen and Dunbar. All have at least one teammate. ELCO (Altur, Kiriakidis, Stavrakakis) also has 3 riders but not clear who their leader is. No other teams are represented except for riders dopped from the break. Evonik still the team pushing the pace. The Gazelle group has been caught by the rest of the peloton thanks to work from Lierse and Sony – Force India and that group is 1’11 down. Gazelle still leading the 2nd peloton.
With just under 70k to go 3 of the 4 surviving breakaway riders are caught and Evonik ease up. Just Vangheluwe left out front. Behind the gaps quickly close up.
Shortly after Vangheluwe decides he isn’t up for a long solo rider and gives up. With 63k to go the peloton is all back together. About 15=3k to the first cobbled sector.
57k and Per and Gerts decide it is time to give it a go. They would potentially be given some leash both being 3’42 down, but Spengler decides to try and join them which could spoil the fun.
The three attackers hit the first cobbled section with a lead of 24 seconds; it maxed at 30 seconds. At first only Evonik were willing to chase but now JURA and Grieg are working.
The threesome use the cobbles to their advantage and leave the 2nd sector with a lead of 36 seconds. Unfortunately for them it is about 15k to the next cobbled section. There is a sprint in 5k. Kamyshev leading the chase now.
Disaster for Gazelle as Aleotti punctures and drops out of the peloton.
The entire team drops back to help Aleotti, they already did a lot of work and the peloton is splitting ahead of them, this could be the race for Gazelle.
Spengler takes the sprint ahead of Gerts and Per. A group of 40 is 16 seconds down. That group being led by Kamyshev, Klaris, Sarreau, and Kurianov.
The Aleotti group has caught the 2nd peloton but that group is 43 seconds down on the front chase group.
With 36k to go Räim leads the catch of the 3 attackers. 8k to the Oude Quaremont which is the next cobbled section
Work from Los Pollos and Sony – Force India bring the numbers in the first group back up to 133 with 2.5k to the Quaremont. Gazelle weren’t able to move up enough and are still working to bring Aleotti back but they are 2’40 down. Pidcock also in that group. Xero all in for Vermeersch.
Just shy of the Quaremont Spengler attacks again. The Aleotti group have caught the back of the peloton so the whole peloton is back together, it looks like it will be brief.
800 meters from the top and Altur, Gerts, and Siric have joined Spengler.
Gerts takes the points at the top just ahead of Siric. Altur 9 seconds down, peloton at 17, Spengler was dropped and is back in the peloton. Swift leading the peloton.
Altur rejoins the front two but they can’t agree to work and are caught by 15 more riders as the peloton fractures. Paterberg in 800 meters, then we will see who is where.
Siric takes the Cat 4 points on the Paterberg ahead of Per and Gerts.
Those 3 open up a gap and have 27 seconds on a 29-rider chase group with 20k to go. Rest of the peloton spread out and very fluid. Next obstacle is the Koppenberg in 3.6k
The front 3 are caught and Van Gestel leads a 44-rider group on to the Paterberg. Most of the big names are here exceptions include Vansevenant who is 1’06 down but has most of his team with him, Aleotti who has lost all his teammates and is in a group just behind Vansevenant along with Pidcock and Gamper who is in A13, so no result for him today.
15k to go and Bohli attacks. Vermeersch has been dropped from the chase group, looks like Xero’s bet on him isn’t going to work. All the ELCO riders except Altur are in trouble as well, as is Wirtgen who has been barely hanging on for a while. Vansevenant still chasing further back.
Bohli is caught on the next cobbled sector by Stewart. Wirtgen was able to grab back on to the front group but Vermeersch and the ELCO riders were not.
10.5k as the front group hits the Taaienberg, the second-to-last cobbled obstacle. Wirtgen second to last wheel. Herregodts and Another name we haven’t mentioned who is in the chase group is Van Dijke. Race radio admit they missed Dunbar being dropped, he is a few groups back. And Zepuntke who was riding well has just cracked as has been dropped along with all his teammates. Up front Bohli attacking again.
A 4-rider group including Bohli, Anderberg, Senechal and Swift emerges over the Paterberg. Their gap is narrow over a 20-rider chase group. A much bigger group including the ELCO (Cavagna, Stavrikakis, Kiriakidis) and EKOI riders (Kung, Zepuntke, Lapeira, Louvel), Vermeersch, Vansevenant and Dunbar is less than a minute behind them so it could all come back together. 9k to go, the last obstacle left is the Eikenberg in 4k.
With 6.8k to go Schmid bridges up to the leaders.
The front five hit the Eikenberg with 16 seconds on the chasers. Spengler leading the chase, Wirtgen much better placed. The next group is 34 seconds down, that includes the ELCO and EKOI riders and Vermeersch, but not Vansevenant or Dunbar they seem to have cracked.
Senechal takes the KOM points just ahead of Anderberg. Siric will get that jersey. A small gap to Schmid and Bohli. Swift cracked and is back in the chase group which is 21 seconds down. 4k to go.
1.4k to go. Anderberg and Senechal have 8 seconds on Schmid and Bohli. Then 14 seconds to Pedersen who attacked over the Eikenberg. Behind the chase hesitated and the gap is another 30 seconds. On the Eikenberg, Vermeersch and Kung were able to bridge up to the chase group which is now 19-strong.
500 meters for the leaders. Anderberg on the front. Chase group is still 32 seconds behind Pedersen. It is being led by Van Baarle and Kung
It is going to a photo finish, both these riders regretting the 3 minutes they lost yesterday.
Bohli comes around Schmid to take 3rd. Great ride by the Grieg man. Schmid would have liked those bonus seconds but he will take the leader’s jersey as the first rider to finish who didn’t lose time yesterday.
Pedersen takes 5th, 23 seconds behind the stage winner and 9 seconds behind Schmid. He would have like the win this was probably his big chance this race. The remaining stages don’t fit him as well.
Siric, Per and Tiller take the next 3 spots.
De Lie and Gerts complete the top 10.
Senechal gets the photo over Anderberg and is the stage winner.
Everyone from Siric to Wirtgen in 23rd lose 40 seconds. The EA man has to be the race favorite having limited his losses on the cobbles.
Farantakis keeps the points jersey. Van Dijke is the best young rieder ahead of Fedorov. EA gets the team’s jersey with Sweeck staying with Wirtgen to the end.
Tour of Northern Europe 
