Mark Cavendish (Dimension Data) confirmed that he is back at his best level by claiming a second Tour de France stage win in just three days of racing. In a very close photo finish, he beat arch-rival André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) in a bunch kick in Angers. Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) narrowly edged out Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) in the battle for third but fourth place was enough for the Slovakian to retain the lead.

 

We have gathered several reactions.

 

Mark Cavendish: Greipel was stronger than expected

Mark Cavendish stole the show during stage 3 of the Tour de France by powering to an incredible photo finish sprint victory over Andre Greipel (Lotto-Soudal). It was the 28th Tour de France stage win of the Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka sprinters career and his 2nd victory at this year’s edition of the race after his stage 1 triumph.

 

Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka were again looking to deliver Cavendish to prime position for the finale in Angers, after extensive research went into the final kilometers of the stage by the African Team. With 8km to go and the break caught, the African Team started putting its plan into action as Bernhard Eisel lined Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Mark Renshaw up in front of Mark Cavendish.

 

The young South African Janse van Rensburg was instrumental in determining the final result as he put in a huge turn from 6.5km to go until 2.5km to go. Boasson Hagen was then in control as the peloton went under the kilometer to go banner, before Renshaw piloted Cavendish to prime position from where to launch his sprint. The Manxman came off the wheel of the German champion in the final 150m, as both riders lunged for the line. The finish-line photo showed that Cavendish had won by a mere tyres width over Greipel and Bryan Coquard (Direct Energie) took 3rd place.

 

It was another incredible win for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka and Mark Cavendish, who is now, with 28 stage wins, tied in 2nd with Bernard Hinault for the most number of stage wins at the Tour de France ever. After today’s magnificent team effort, Cavendish moved into the lead in the Green Jersey points competition with 123 points and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) 2nd, on 116 points.

 

He said:

 

“I am incredibly happy with this second win at the Tour de France. We planned it for a long time this morning, we had a long team meeting about how the finish would go and it went pretty much exactly how we planned.

 

”It’s good that the guys stayed calm and collected. It would have been easy for them to have pulled and then got out of the way with the hectic final, but they stayed patient. Edvald stayed patient, Mark stayed patient and then at the right minute I was able to get on Andre Greipel’s wheel. I knew he’d hit it early, actually he was stronger than I thought he’d be. Andre has guts, he rides like that. I actually didn’t beat him in the sprint, I beat him with the lunge.

 

”This is another great win for the team but more importantly, it raises the profile of Qhubeka yet again, and that is the reason we are here.

 

“I normally know when I won or I lose. When I crossed the line, I kind of knew I got it today but anything can happen. "I thought I had it but you never know. I kind of knew I’d got it but you have to wait. I've lost and won sprints by a smaller margin than today.

 

“We planned this stage, and I knew I’d have to come from behind. That’s why when Mark [Renshaw] went I wanted to be behind Greipel. Last year after I didn’t win the first sprint I was nervous and maybe went too soon in the following stages and I thought that might be the same for Greipel here.

 

"I knew I had to come from behind. I wanted to be behind Greipel to launch my sprint. He took me by surprise, but I'm happy I did it. My teammates were phenomenal. It's superb for Dimension Data. We came here we made our sponsors proud.

 

“Bernhard Eisel kept us in good position, the other (Renshaw, Boasson Hagen, Janse Van Rensburg) waited. There was a descent before the final kilometer. We did not want to start early as it was uphill in the finale. Then it's hard to keep the speed. Greipel started early. I thought I would pass him quickly but he was strong, he opened the throttle and it made my race difficult

 

"When it was announced that me, Mark Renshaw and Bernie Eisel were joining the team, it seemed nostalgic, and some scoffed at it. But it has worked out well. We've got Edvald Boasson Hagen too and Steve Cummings, who rode in the World Championships that I won. The results are coming, despite me not having won much, the rest of team have been good this season. I'm really proud of them; it's given me a new lease on life. Now, it's not only about pressure to win; I'm fully enjoying it, and that's a good thing.

 

"I was very fortunate to ride some of the biggest teams in cycling. They were successful years, and I had fun and made some great friends. But with big teams comes a lot of pressure. I was lucky to have great teams to deliver. Unless you're in this position, it's difficult to understand. But when I turned pro I was immediately winning and under pressure to win. Now it's about more than just winning, we're more than a billboard, we ride for a cause. It's 50 per cent of what we do, with 50 per cent of it is about results. It's more than just riding your bike, eating your dinner and then doing it the next day.

 

”Douglas Ryder is an amazing guy. When I met him, I understood him immediately. He symbolizes the passion of this team, the first African team in the World Tour. In fact, it is more than a team. We run for a cause, for Qhubeka, to bring 5,000 bikes to young Africans. There is no better way to defend this cause than to do the Tour and win.

 

"When I started my career, to even be mentioned in the same sentence as Eddy Merckx or Bernhard Hinault is something I never dreamt of. I can't be compared to them so I just look at the numbers - 28 is 28. If I'd won one stage, it would have made my career. If I go on to win 50, then it's 50. But if this is the last then so be it. I built my career around this bike race and so ultimately I want to be successful here regardless of other great riders who have come here and done great things.”

 

Cavendish was also asked about the safety.

 

“It is not only the rule of the last 3km that is the problem but the mentality of the guys in the bunch. How Team Sky was brought to the front speaks volumes about this change in mentality. Many GC riders want to be there. In the past, they stayed behind and tried to avoid splits. Now they want to creat the splits and try to gain time in the flat stage. This is a consequence of the money that circulates in cycling. The stakes are so high that risks are taken accordingly. In the pack there is a good general respect but there is a difference between those who win and those who never win. I see some bitterness.”

 

Mark Renshaw told Eurosport:

 

"It’s working well, we won two stages but it’s not perfect. We have a limited team here, only five riders including Cavendish for the finish. Everybody knows their job. We have great riders in Edvald Boasson Hagen and [Reinardt] Janse Van Rensburg, so a great team and once the ball starts rolling then it just keeps going. He’s on a high and now the team is also.

 

"It was very difficult to judge. We had some tight corners and there was a crash with a couple of k to go. We knew we had to be in front, we knew we had to be coming with speed through the corner but it all worked out perfectly and he showed that he had good legs.

 

"We've taken two quick victories and that’s great but we don’t have a team like Etixx or Katusha. We don’t have guys to ride all day, especially not with that power and we have to wait until the final. I’m sure that there will be some teams who aren’t too happy with us, especially after coming through in the final kilometres and taking two victories."

 

André Greipel laments gear choice after photo finish defeat

Lotto Soudal did most of the chasing and the two leaders remained within reach. A bunch sprint was unavoidable. Jürgen Roelandts pulled the sprint for André Greipel and the German champion seemed to be winning, but Mark Cavendish beat him on the finish line.

 

André Greipel said: 

 

“This is such a pity. I lost with only a few millimetres difference, Cavendish was just a bit faster. It was a chaotic end of the stage. In the last six to seven kilometres it was difficult to stay together as a team. Anyway, Jürgen Roelandts managed to let me start the sprint in a good position. My gear was too big for the steep finish and that might have made me lose. Nonetheless, Cavendish showed again how strong he is, it would not be wise to underestimate him, this is his 28th stage win at the Tour after all. But with the team we proved we are capable of winning and tomorrow we’ll again aim for the stage win.

 

"I think the last 6km were quite messy with a lot of corners, there wasn’t a lot of organisation. It was really hard to stay together with the team and I just tried to stay somewhere near the front. With Jurgen Roelandts, in the end he brought me into a really good position and I think I just made one mistake and it was a kind of reflex to go into the biggest gear. If I had kept it in the gear I had then I think I would have made it.

 

"I think maybe everybody was a bit tired after yesterday, everybody was a bit nervous because we’ve had a lot of fighting in the bunch. It was not a stage to gain any points so everybody relaxed. I didn’t think that I wished for a faster stage than today."

 

"That must be really terrible for him," teammate Jens Debusschere told Het Nieuwsblad. "It's unfortunate that we could not make our train in such a chaotic finale.

 

"You could not really call it a sprint preparation. Really, we could not set up a train. Perhaps only Lotto JumboNL managed to do so. It was just very hectic in the final and the many traffic islands on the road did not help. It was constant braking, acceleration and about not losing sight of the sprinter. That is frustrating. In the end, Jurgen Roelandts and I still found André Greipel with 500 meters to go, but it was late and it was not quite as it should be. I had even just hit the brakes, otherwise I would end up on the ground. I think Jurgen huge did a good job, a very good leadout, but hey, you win or lose. Maybe we needed one more rider and that cost us the victory. It is unfortunate that Cavendish was just faster, but onTuesday we have another chance.”

 

Bryan Coquard: The main thing is that I was the fastest

Bryan Coquard finished third:

 

“I would have preferred to win, especially as I was close to home and I had lots of fans today. Direct Energie worked well, but we came to the front a little early. We're going to debrief tonight.

 

”I'm getting better and better. The first day I was frustrated, yesterday I was extremely disappointed. Now I'm in the game, I came back from far, I rode a great sprint. There remains tomorrow and other stages throughout the Tour. I'm not going to give up. I reacted well after my disappointment of yesterday.

 

”Tomorrow is going to be tiresome, it's always a bit tricky in the Limoges area. We're going to try and do something good.

 

"The guys worked well but we got on the front a little early. We took the lead at 3 kilometers and at this distance, we needed two guys ahead of Adrien (Petit). I fought like hell, I knew it was a finish that suited me. I think that looking at the pictures, I'll have regrets because I came from far back. It's been complicated to slalom in the final 500 meters so I'm partly satisfied. "

 

"What I missed is probably the position as the legs are there. I talk about positioning but I should perhaps say timing because I was well placed on the wheel of Marcel Kittel. He was also boxed in. When a lead-out man makes a swerve it becomes difficult. Still, there was a crash. I hope there was no one from our team. Now, we have the opportunities. I will watch the sprint and the main thing is that I really was the fastest today.

 

 

"We still have some opportunities. The main thing is that I was the fastest today. The collective work was good, Direct Energie were strong. I feel a bit of disappointment, I'm here, I did a very big sprint because I was in the wind. I will seize the opportunity.

 

”You know the temperament of Thomas [Voeckler]. That was crazy to do something like that. Armindo (Fonseca) was all alone, he embarked on an all-day solo break and when the gap came down, Thomas decided to attack. I confess that I removed the radio with 20km to go. I suspected that we would get caught but I do not know when we got him. Finally we hit the front, we were able to do so. Hats off to the team.

 

”It's good but I'm a competitor and I do not think that I am less strong. To be a sprinter, you must be a killer and when I'm in a race, I believe I'm the fastest. Today, there is a hint of disappointment but I'm here and I did a very, very good sprint. "

 

Thomas Voeckler: I wanted to put a bit of craziness into a boring stage

Thomas Voeckler was the most aggressive rider.

 

“My attack wasn't planned,” he said. “It was a relatively boring stage so I wanted to put a bit of craziness into it. It didn't cost me much energy to do that because I didn't spend the whole day at the front. I'm not able to help the Coq [Coquard] in the sprint lead out so going away gave a chance to the team to race a bit more conservatively.

 

"There was a big timeout for two-thirds of the stage. It was boring for everyone: riders, spectators and TV viewers I guess. I think this was due to the course: more than 220 kilometers today, more than 230 tomorrow ... All this after two tense stages which encourages one to take it easy.

 

"II'll lie if I said that I thought the stage win, but hey, it's also about having fun. It does not hamper Bryan since I am of no use in the last kilometers. I do not see why we should hold ourselves back. If you only attack when you're sure to win, you do not attack often. "

 

"I do not know if I deserve this prize. I think Armindo deserved it more more."

 

“I saw on the screens that Coquard got a fine third place. It’s good when you see the riders who were there too. He is still young, even if it's his third Tour. The team works well for him. It's a nice satisfaction

 

"I’m happy that Bryan [Coquard] was third. That’s the main satisfaction - as well as the French football team’s great performance last night. Bryan is the real story as far as Direct Energie is concerned today. There’s still a long way to Paris, so there’ll be more opportunities."

 

Peter Sagan asks the UCI to neutralize the final 3km

After a bittersweet victory for the team yesterday with Peter Sagan winning and taking the team's first yellow jersey while GC leader Alberto Contador lost time after another heavy fall, stage 3 was a much steadier affair. Leaving the northern coastal region behind – along with its punishing wind and rain – the Tour de France made its way south for the second longest stage. In spite of the efforts of a lone breakaway, the gruelling distance took its toll and the predicted bunch sprint to the line took place. After protecting his yellow jersey and doing his role as race leader proud, Sagan contested the sprint and was unlucky not to add to his stage win tally, taking fourth in a hotly-contested finish in Angers.

 

The team’s approach today was two-pronged – to protect the yellow jersey of Peter Sagan, but also to ensure Alberto Contador was kept safe in the bunch to support his recovery and help him to heal, as Sport Director, Steven De Jongh, explained.

 

“It was quite a steady stage today, tranquillo. We're lucky that today there were no crashes for us and we could go through the motions. That is firstly the main thing as yesterday was a big impact for Alberto and we knew that he would be hurting this morning. The plan was to defend the jersey but with one guy out the front that made they job fairly easy and we also had some help from the other sprint teams. So it was quite easy to control and close the gap so that was good for us.”

 

Once again surfing the wheels of the other teams, the UCI World Champion kept his rivals in his sights as the peloton stretched out, but on the final bend he was caged in by the other teams and in spite of a strong sprint where he jumped several places, was just beaten to the line, taking fourth position. Keeping yellow after today’s result, the Slovakian rider will start his second day in the Maillot Jaune tomorrow.

While Sagan was unlucky not to take the win, he was pleased with the way the race unfolded, and to have been in a position to contest the sprint after a long, hard day.

 

“It was a long day, 220km - we did the first part very slow then the last 20km got very interesting. I'm very happy to not crash and hold the yellow jersey, which was my goal. For sure I have to try also for the points for the sprint. The finish was again crazy but that's sprinting. Everybody wanted to be at the front - but I'm here with yellow still in one piece so that's already nice.

 

“It's been a relaxed day with only one rider in the breakaway. He was going slowly so we had to go slowly as well because we didn't want to catch him. It was nice. At some stage, I thought of stopping for a coffee. I saw a bar but eventually, I had no time. We've done 200km of transfer and 20km of racing.

 

"It was a long transfer stage, with just the last 20km on a fast course. The other days were intense because there were a lot of riders in the break, today there was one, he had 10 minutes, then six, then five. We felt like we we're going to catch him, so we had to go slow.

 

"I don't think if it's about peace or not. But it's good if some days you can also relax. If the stage is shorter, it'd be fast. Tomorrow will be longer.

 

“With the rainbow jersey and the yellow jersey, I don't know if I can say that I'm now part of the legend of cycling. I'm still racing for now. I might become part of the legend later.”

 

Sagan also addressed the safety issue again.

 

"There's one question I want to ask the UCI: to turn back the rules on neutralizing the last three kilometres. I think it'd be better for cycling, for our safety.

 

"There are a lot of GC riders who want to do well overall but on the flat stages we want to fight for the sprint, not ride with the GC guys. That's very dangerous. On the climbs, it's the legs that make the difference. The flat stages are for the sprinters, why can't the GC riders be safe behind? I don't understand why they don't do that. It'd be safer for everyone. Everyone talks about safety in cycling and action. This is the action to take.

 

"I don't make the rules, I'm just thinking about the safety of the riders. This is a very big reason to be safe. If we are crazy in the sprint, it's our fault but at least we don't make the GC riders crash or the others who don't need to be in the sprint. When I was watching the television when I was young, how many times did Armstrong do the sprint? I don't know. He always stayed in the back and stayed safe. I don't know but I think it'd be better for stages like this.

 

“I talk about it in the field with the other riders and talk about the dangers and regulations. Since I'm here, I become the spokesman of the pack.”

 

For De Jongh, the plan from today carries over into tomorrow.

 

“Tomorrow it will be a case of doing the same again, looking after Alberto so he can continue to recover and then we will see what we can do with Peter for the sprint, but we take it day by day.”

 

Going into the longest day with the yellow jersey, Sagan was keen to do the Maillot Jaune justice and keep it safe, while also giving the finish his best shot.

 

“Tomorrow is another sprint so I'll try again and I will see day by day how long I can hold on to the jersey.”

 

Alberto Contador: This is the worst start to a grand tour of my life

"This is the worst start to a grand tour of my life,” Alberto Contador told Cyclingpro.net. “But tomorrow is another day and the day after tomorrow, yet another. I lost time but the problem is not the time loss but my body, and it is not going well at the moment. There are still 17 stage. We must believe that it will improve.”

 

Edward Theuns: This fifth place shows that the first stage was not a coincidence

It may be his first Tour de France, and he may be battling the world's best in some of the largest bloodthirsty fights to the line, but Edward Theuns is showing an experience that belies his youth in the tumultuous and dangerous world that is bunch sprinting, adding another 5th place in stage three Monday.

 

"I am happy; again I am in the same line as the big sprinters, "said Theuns. "It shows that the first stage is not just a coincidence, of just one time that I happened to get there. The team did a great job for me again. In the last corner, I lost a bit of speed because they were coming from the outside and I had to brake a little. But 5th again is really good for me, I think."

 

It was a quiet ride for most of the 223-kilometer stage three with one lone rider out front to control. Even when Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie), perhaps bored with the leisurely pace, joined the lonely soul in the final 80 kilometers, no alarms sounded behind, the peloton continued plodding along in cruise control.

 

"It was the slowest race I ever did I think!" agreed Theuns. "There was one guy in the breakaway, so it was really, really, really easy today until the last 50-60 kilometers. It was like a half-recovery day today."

 

With the scent of the finish drawing near the tranquility broke, the race was on. The sprinters' teams began the fight for positioning for the stage win and the GC contenders to stay up front and out of trouble. The bedlam began.

 

At just under three kilometers remaining, Fabian Cancellara powered to the front with Theuns on his wheel, incredibly heading the peloton for the next kilometer and keeping Theuns in the top positions.

 

"Fabian gave me a pinch in the butt with around 3kms to go to take his wheel," explained Theuns. "He brought me from like 60th position to the first of the bunch. It was a big effort from him, and then he kept going so I could stay out of the wind."

 

Cancellara added: "In the front, it is the most easiest because you are out of the danger, but the most hardest because you are pulling at 60-70km/h to keep everyone in line. You do the maximum you can, and when you are done with everything you had, you just pull back and try to stay on the left or right to not cause trouble for the others."

 

Theuns was left to his own devices for the last 1500 meters, like a pistol battling in the trenches amongst heavy artillery, and even when swarmed in the final corner, he would not back down.

 

Theuns said: "The last 1.5kms was not like I thought it would be, it was a little downhill, so riders were coming from different sides, which made it hard to get into good position for the last corner. When I had to brake there, and lost a little speed, in this kind of finish that little bit of speed is important because it's hard to get it back in the uphill. Then it's hard to compete with the best sprinters in the world.

 

"But they are not really sprinting away from me. It's all in the details. If I can get a little bit closer to start the sprint, then… Small things can make a difference. The most important is that again I showed I am fast, that I can be there in the finale, and I think that for me and for the team this is something we can build on.

 

"Fabian Cancellara brought me forward. It was really dangerous in the end, especially in the last one and a half kilometers. Really chaotic, I tried to find a gap, but it did not work but well. I am satisfied with another fifth place.

 

"The team kept me in front during the last 25km and at the very end Cancellara did the work. It is fantastic to ride with him. Fabian is a great captain and leader. It’s a dream to have someone with such a palmares to work for you. And he's really a boon for the 'young Belgians', so he does it with fun and is spontaneous. He is a great champion, I'm really honored that I can ride with him. He has already given a few compliments and I know that he really believes in me.  It is a pity that he retires at the end of the year. "

 

"It was dangerous with the spectators, who are quite close to the road. The last kilometer was quite hectic. I lost a little speed in the last corner which cost me some meters. I tried to make up for it but I couldn’t. Fifth is not bad and I am satisfied that I was there again. If you had told me beforehand that I would be top five twice in the Tour, I would be super happy. But I am a professional athlete, you always want more, and I still have time. I want to use all the sprint opportunities.

 

"Whether I miss a team mate in the sprint?  If you have such a train like Kittel or Greipel, it is perhaps a bit easier, but you should not force things. I'm still young, I'm glad to be at my first Tour and on Tuesday there is another chance. "

 

Tomorrow's stage four offers another chance for the motivated and hungry Theuns, who would like nothing more than to capitalize on the strong team showing so far.

 

"Tomorrow we will try again. I hope that we will be rewarded for the way we are racing: the spirit is good in the team, we stay together, and in the end, we try and come to the front as a team. It would be nice to show something for this."

 

Jasper Stuyven had no stress in maintaining his lead in the mountains classification, and will continue in the polka-dot jersey for another day.

 

"It was an easy day, it was nice to recover from yesterday," said Stuyven. "I wish that I could have helped Edward more, he has a really good sprint, but I just couldn't push today. Tomorrow I think I should be fully recovered from my effort.

 

"Today the disappointment of yesterday was gone. I am happy with what I achieved; I am proud to wear the jersey."

 

Sondre Holst Enger: It’s nice to sprint with the big guys

“I still have some things to learn before I can compete to win a stage like this at the Tour de France,” Sondre Holst Enger admitted after taking a strong 6th place in a sprint that was narrowly won by Mark Cavendish in Angers.

 

“I am satisfied with my place in this sprint where you had to have the sheer power to pass your rivals.  All the guys who finished ahead of me are definitely members of the sprint elite.  I really have also to thank the hard work that the team did for me, and thank Reto Hollenstein for placing me so well.

 

"It was fun, it was cool. It's always nice to sprint with the big guys. I'm happy with my position. I think I can work a little bit more on the sprint. I'm an OK sprinter."

 

Manager Rik Verbrugghe added:

 

“The guys were towing the line. They mobilized not only to place Sondre Holst Enger for the sprint, but also to protect Mathias Frank and Jarlinson Pantano all day so that there would be no slip-ups with splits in the finale.”

 

Marcel Kittel: We hit the front too early

For Etixx – Quick-Step, best man on the day was Marcel Kittel, the 28-year-old German finishing seventh, with teammate Julian Alaphilippe in 15th position.

Despite the result, Kittel – who's doing the Tour de France for the fourth time in his career – remained upbeat at the finish, confident that his sprinting speed and strong team will help him to emerge victorious on the flat stages of the race:

 

"We rode full gas from 25 kilometers to go and it was really intense. In the finale, we were there, but we did a mistake by hitting the front too early, so in the closing meters the other guys came very fast from behind and I got boxed in. It's important to learn from mistakes, to remain calm and talk about what happened. The positive side of things is that I feel good and my legs are there. We will try again in the next days."

 

"We started too early,” sports director Wilfried Peeters told Sporza. "Just before the last kilometer, Richeze and Sabatini were on the front. Then you know that you too little manpower.

 

"Marcel was too far back in the last corner, which was very important. That’s where the mistake was made.

 

"He's not beaten because he is not fast but he was badly positioned in the last corner. And a sprinter who has lost is even more keen on revenge."

 

"Our guys did not find each other. Richeze and Sabatini were in front too early. They could never keep them behind,” manager Patrick Lefevere told Sporza.

 

"Maybe we are a little nervous. It should be discussed and we have to find the automatism of the Giro. We still have a good train."

 

“Cavendish is a different type of sprinter than Marcel. He's got a big jump in the legs. He must be very good because last year he wasn't capable of doing this," Lefevere told Cyclingnews.

 

"I saw that we did everything wrong. The team wasn't well together. They probably were way too nervous. With this finish it was possible to wait until the final two or three kilometres before storming forward. Kittel has always been used to, with his previous victories in the Tour, waiting very long before moving to the front and here we're doing the completely opposite.

"On a certain moment Iljo went flat out at five kilometres from the finish. Then Tony and Vakoc came. At two kilometres from the finish Richeze was riding full gas with Sabatini and Kittel behind him. Then I knew that they wouldn't make it.

 

Julian Alaphilippe: I am not thinking about winning the jersey for now

For Julian Alaphilippe – the first Frenchman in two years to top the U25 rankings – stage 3 of the Grande Boucle was one in which he lived a great satisfaction, brought by having the white jersey on his shoulders:

 

"The last kilometers were really stressful and we tried to stay focused and keep Marcel at the front. It's a pity things didn't work out as planned, but there will be other chances. On a personal level, I'm happy for keeping the white jersey, as it was a great feeling to wear it today. I want to thank my team, the fans and my French friends who were by my side. The support I got was unbelievable and it really helps in this first Grand Tour I am riding.

 

“Everything went well even though it was a bit boring to ride at this pace all day. In the finale, it was rather nervous but I managed to avoid troubles. Unfortunately we didn't get the win with Marcel Kittel but I'm pretty happy for Cavendish. He already proved at Utah Beach that he is very strong. I've had a great time with him last year.

 

”I'm pleased to be in the white jersey but I wait for a more undulated terrain like on Wednesday to have a say. I'm not thinking of bringing the white jersey to Paris for now.”

 

Christophe Laporte: I really want to be in the top 5

Christophe Laporte finished 8th for Cofidis. 

"It was a long day and nobody wanted to go attack,” he said. “Only one rider did so and it had to be hard for him. The sprint was not easy to manage because everyone was fresh. I finished eighth. I'm disappointed because I was not very well placed. It's still a good result after last Saturday. I'm doing my best, it works well with my team-mates but now I really want to be inthe top five. I need to have more confidence in my qualities. On Tuesday, I can have a new opportunity. There are a few climb in the finale but it is a finish that suits me well.”

 

His roommate and lead-out man Geoffrey Soupe added:
 

"Last year, Christophe did his first Tour de France and I could help him in this type of race. We built a friendship and it remained throughout the season and during the winter break. He gets confidence but we still have a big margin for improvement. In the absence of Nacer Bouhanni, we still need to find our automatisms to get even better results.”

 

Armindo Fonseca disappointed not to be awarded combativity prize

For 140 kilometers Armindo Fonseca was the lone leader but he didn’t get the combativity prize.

 

"I did 140 kilometers in front ... alone! I would have loved some company. 84 kilometers from the finish, I waited for Thomas Voeckler and we worked well together. I'm just a little disappointed not to have got the combativity prize. But the goal is not to be as combative. I want to do a good Tour de France. The goal of our team is above all to win and to do a good GC with Eduardo Sepulveda. Today I just wanted to be om front since we were riding on home roads. I enjoyed myself. I got chills.”

 

His teammate Dan McLay obtained a promising ninth place. 

 

"Dan got a good little ninth place in the sprint. The level is very high. When one sees the riders that make the top 10, I think Dan should not be ashamed of his performance, although I'm sure he can still do better,” said his manager Sébastien Hinault.

 

Dylan Groenewegen: It was my own fault that I lost my train

Dylan Groenewegen sprinted to 10th in the third stage of the Tour de France today. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s sprinter was unable to re-find his position in the team’s lead out in the final kilometre. Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data) won his second stage.

 

Before the third stage of the Tour de France, Dylan Groenewegen said that it was going to be important to stay together with his team-mates in the final kilometres of the stage. He succeeded in that aim up until the final kilometre.

 

“I lost the men for a while,” Groenewegen explained. “Timo Roosen almost crashed, everyone braked at that point, except me. I passed our train on the right side and lost them. I wanted to take my position afterwards, but Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha) boxed me in.

 

"It was hectic. I almost crashed 20 times and then you are lucky to stay upright. Until the last kilometer we were good but I lost them. It was kind of my own fault. It went better. More is possible but we have done well. You also need luck. We can use this experience next time.

 

“I’m in the top 10, but I’m not quite happy with a tenth place. At least, we are improving and we did a good job as a team today. In the end, you need a little bit of luck as well. We don’t have to be scared that were not good enough. We are and we want to show it another time in this Tour de France.”

 

Robert Wagner shared in that conviction.

 

“It went very well, actually,” the German added. “We came in the right moment, Timo Roosen delivered a very strong job and when we passed Dylan with one kilometre to go. I counted on him to be in my slipstream. He wasn’t, unfortunately.

 

“We’re pushing with a lot of sprint lead-outs and rode towards the finish line at 70 kilometres an hour. You have to stay focussed at the same time, and that’s difficult at such a pace. You barely hear anything and are full of adrenaline. You need a lot of luck and I’m convinced that Dylan will get his chance in this Tour de France.”

 

“I’ve seen a lot of good things today,” Sports Director Merijn Zeeman added. “A lot of things always happen in the bunch sprint, but I think that the team did a great job. Everyone fulfilled his tasks. There is one crucial moment when Timo had to make a manoeuvre and Dylan lost the lead-out. At that moment, Sep Vanmarcke and Robert wanted to pick him up, a fight for the right position started between Dylan and Kristoff, and Dylan didn’t come out well. That’s a pity, because Dylan delivered a strong sprint, but came from too far behind.”

 

Alexander Kristoff: Usually I should be better than this

One of the longest stages in the 2016 Tour de France came on Monday with a group sprint ending the action after more than 223km of riding. Team KATUSHA’s Alexander Kristoff was right in the heart of the action on stage 3, but just missed a little to take a top placing, ending up 11th behind winner Mark Cavendish.

 

”I think we handled the lead out very well with Marco [Haller] and Jacopo [Guarnieri] doing a good job. The problem was that I lost Jacopo in one corner because a guy from Orica was crashing, so as I came back Jacopo saw me and was moving, but there was a guy on my outside and he almost took out my front wheel so I almost crashed again, and lost him again. I tried to find my way to the front on my own, but it was two times out in the wind and I had nothing left. I have been a bit close to crashing in these Tour de France finishes so far and I’ve used too much energy to get back to the front and then I have no power left to sprint with. I hope I can have a smoother ride into the sprint tomorrow which will give me something left to sprint with. I felt good today; it was a pretty easy day and normally it is better for me if it’s a little bit harder so we’ll see tomorrow if we continue to go slow or if we go a little bit faster. Usually I should be better than the eleventh place I was today as I wasn’t good enough, so hopefully I am better tomorrow,” explained Alexander Kristoff.

 

”I think Cavendish is a real contender for the green jersey competition if he can keep going like he has been. But there are some good stages ahead for Peter Sagan where he will take points where Cavendish cannot do it. I think it will be difficult for him overall, but he will try,” assessedAlexander Kristoff.

 

After his stage 1 crash gave him a badly injured leg, Team KATUSHA’s Michael Mørkøv continues to work early in the stage bringing bottles and protecting the team leaders before dropping back to finish at his own pace. With his place normally in the lead out for Kristoff as the last man in the train, there were adjustments for today’s final with Marco Haller slotting in behind Jacopo Guarnieri, who now occupies the position just in front of Kristoff.  As last rider on the classification, Mørkøv holds the distinction of Red Lantern at the moment, a true testament to his character and willpower as he continues to ride each stage and feels he is making some improvement daily.

 

”You know, with one guy in front all day, you can expect a quiet stage, however with a very hectic finale. We stayed well together around Alexander but with one lead out guy less it was harder. It went well until we suddenly were a bit too far back. I then sacrificed myself to bring Jacopo and Alexander back to the front. Jacopo then did an amazing job, and it did not work out like we wanted, but that’s cycling. This is not football where there is a 1 chance on 2 to win. Here you have one chance on 200,” philosophized Marco Haller. 

 

Team director Torsten Schmidt added:

 

“Tomorrow we will try again.  The pressure on Kristoff’s shoulders is a bit higher now, but if there are one type of people to handle this, it is the Scandinavians!”

 

Orica-BikeExchange: Tomorrow’s stage suits us very well

Michael Matthews crossed the line in 12th place for ORICA-BikeExchange on stage three of the Tour de France today, after battling hard in a finale made for the pure sprinters.

 

Paris-Nice stage winner Matthews was in a good position going into the final Kilometres tucked in behind Matthew Hayman and Daryl Impey.

 

The technical finish was filled with sharp twists and turns that were being taken at full speed, Paris-Roubaix champion Hayman went down on one of the corners with Matthews jumping wheels to try and retain position.

 

Mark Cavendish (Dimension-Data) won the sprint for the line, taking the stage victory with Matthews just missing out on the top ten in 12th place.

 

Fortunately ORICA-BikeExchange’s road captain Hayman didn’t suffer any serious injuries and will live on to fight another day with the team also retaining the lead of the team classification ahead of Team-Sky.

 

Sport director Matt White praised the efforts of the team but is looking forward to tomorrow’s fourth stage, which is well suited to the strengths of the Australian squad.

 

“It was a long and slow day that was always going to favour the big sprinters,” said White. “The guys did a great job in positioning Michael (Matthews) for the finale, we gave it a go but it was always going to be hard task against the best sprinters in the world.

 

“There won’t be a day as easy or slow as today throughout the rest of the Tour de France, that’s for sure. It created a very fast and tense finish to the stage and I am pleased that the team all made it through ok.”

 

“We are looking ahead to tomorrow now, it is a tough long stage with lots of undulations in the final third,” continued White. “Those are the kind of stages that favour our talents within the team, it’s going to be hard for the pure sprinters with those climbs to contend with.”

 

John Degenkolb: I am still missing the final touch

In a hectic finale John Degenkolb finished just outside the top 10 in 13th place. There was also good news for Warren Barguil who came through a less stressful stage without any issues. The Frenchman was protected by his team-mates throughout the 223.5km test and he is now fifth in the general classification.

 

Roy Curvers said: “It was really easy until the finale which was particularly hard. When it is such an easy day, you know it is going to be a hectic finish.

 

“We could see that there was not really one team that managed to stay together and do a proper lead-out. So there was a constant battle for positions and after every corner you had to check that everyone was still there. I think we managed quite well to hold a good position through the last corner but unfortunately with 1km to go we were a little bit too far back. We had to make an effort before the last corner and I think the finish was a bit harder than we expected.”

 

“Once again it was good teamwork from the team throughout the stage,” explained John Degenkolb. “In the finale I came in position but the final touch is still missing. I am positive that by doing those difficult finals, I will regain that final touch and improve my feeling for the next stages.”

 

Coach Aike Visbeek added: “It was a very slow race because it was only a solo break. We just waited for the sprint as we didn’t take any responsibility in the chase. The sprint was quite challenging, John was in an okay position, but it was an uphill finish and I think he lacked a bit of power towards the end. However we were up there until the finish and I think it is a good step up for the next sprints.”

 

Tom Dumoulin: Longer than 200km is so outdated

"These stages don't do anyone a favour. It will be the same again tomorrow. There is absolutely nothing to gain, perhaps tomorrow nobody will ride away,” Tom Dumoulin told NOS.

 

"You get much nicer stages if you make them shorter. I believe that this kind of stage no longer belong in the Tour. Longer than 200 kilometers is so outdated. I do not see the use of it.

 

"In the final all the energy was still there, so it was still painful enough."

 

Davide Cimolai: Tomorrow’s stage suit me better

David Cimolai finished 14th for Lampre-Merida. He had the experienced Bono and the Japanese fighter Arashiro for support.

"I'm happy for the support I received from my team mates, I thank them because their work was useful,” Cimolai commented. “Unfortunately, I did not have the right feelings, my legs lacked the necessary energy in the final 3km. Even so, I tried to achieve the best possible result but I could not be in the top 10. 
Tomorrow the finish will be more suitable for me, I'll try to battle against very strong opponents again, just read the names of the riders who beat me, but I definitely will not hold anything back. "

Sports director Philippe Mauduit explained that: "Today’s sprint had all the features of a sprint among the fasters riders in the peloton: high level of intensity, pure agonism in the final kilometers and top speed. 

”Taking a look at the stage classification we can consider that Cimolai is one of the top 15 sprinters which are the elite of the speed specialists: today Davide tried to measure up against them after he could not complete the sprint of the 1st stage. Tomorrow he'll probably have an even better chance on a course which is more suitable for him since the finish will be on a small climb.

”Today’s stage was easy for the other riders and especially those who had suffered light injuries in the crash of the previous stages, like Arashiro, Rui and Meintjes.”

 

”As you can see, there is not much to say about today's stage,” Rui Costa wrote in his diary. “It was a fairly quiet day and a bit dull. Although it has not been so all day.

“There were two parts of the day. When I stopped for a natural break, I had to speed up to the maximum to catch the peloton and it took me about 5km to do so. To chase a peloton alone is no easy task. Then at the end, it was nervous with the fight between the trains and the pace was very high. 
 

”It's hard to be well placed in the middle of so much confusion, but it is important to avoid time loss. I did my best and I arrived in the same time as the winner, in 39th position. In GC I am 19th, 14 seconds behind Peter Sagan.”

 

Alexey Lutsenko eyes the Olympics after the Tour de France

All of the Astana Pro Team riders did well and finished with same time of the winner.

 

“This is my second participation at the Tour de France, the first one was in 2013 when I was in my first year as a professional cyclist,” explained Alexey Lutsenko. “I’m in good shape and my goal in this first week of the race is to help the captain to stay in front, avoiding all possible risks and trying not to lose any seconds until the mountains will come.

 

“Then, if my condition will allow it, it is possible that I’ll try to catch some escapes in the second or third week of the race because I’ll try to gain the best condition possible for the Olympic Games in Brazil next month.”

 

Chris Froome: I’ve never had such a day in the Tour yet

Chris Froome finished stage three at the Tour de France with an impressive turn of speed to move up to fourth place overall.

 

Team Sky worked hard in the closing stages to ensure Froome was up front and out of trouble, and after being dropped off in the final metres by Luke Rowe, the Brit crossed the line a vigilant 22nd, closely on the heels of the sprinters.

 

That saw Team Sky's leader jump up to fourth place overall, 14 seconds back on yellow, courtesy of an impressive and consistent set of stage placings thus far.

 

Team Sky had begun to move up with 30 kilometres to go, with Mikel Nieve and Wout Poels leading the line before Vasil Kiryienka took over amid the sprint trains.

"It was an easy start - make that an easy first five hours!" laughed Sport Director Servais Knaven after the stage.

 

"But as we expected the final was really hectic and really fast. Most of the riders were fresh heading in there so it was pretty nervous for the guys on the bike. 

 

"There were not many teams who had planned to go in the break I think, otherwise we would have seen more guys try. Maybe they thought there was no chance to make it to the finish or to grab the polka dot jersey. It's hard to say why it was so quiet.

 

"We're really happy with where we are with Chris. You can't control everything but we're pleased with the position at the moment."

“I certainly never had a day like that in the Tour de France yet, where it’s really gone that easy with one guy in the break,” Froome told CyclingWeekly. “But with no real KOM points up for grabs and a 225km stage like that, there wasn’t much motivation for guys to go in a break.

 

“Who knows what will happen tomorrow. I hope there will be a few more guys in the break so we can get the stage done quicker.”

 

Movistar: Everything goes like we want

The Movistar riders directed by José Luis Arrieta and Chente García Acosta took care, just as expected in such stages, of Nairo Quintana to perfection until the finish line, where Mark Cavendish (DDD) claimed his second stage success against Andre Greipel (LTS) by just a few milimeters gained in the last bike throw to the line. Nairo Quintana profits from the account of positions in a pretty close GC to gain one place, now 6th, with Alejandro Valverde still in 3rd. Tuesday's stage four will be the longest in this Tour, 237.5km between Saumur and Limoges, on the eve of the Massif Central's climbs towards Le Lioran, on Wednesday.

 

Dani Moreno said: "It was overall a calm stage from the beginning, but the final 40 or 50 kilometers were a very different story. You always ride in the finale with those nerves, you need to keep focus because you never know what's gonna happen, plus you must keep Nairo safe. It was a 'rest' day, between many quotation marks, already before that point - that final push turned the stage into a quite demanding one. Still, I think it was quite a relaxed day for Nairo, apart from that final part. Let's hope we can keep him in good place also tomorrow. It will be a long stage, and should the break take long to form, the finale could get more exciting and tougher than today's."

 

Manager Eusebio Unzue said:

 

"So far we are satisfied, especially to get through these days without damage and avoid the many traps that the first week of the Tour offers. In that sense, it was a day quieter. Everything is going well with Nairo and Alejandro continues as expected. Yesterday was a day for him, his characteristics and he exploited that finale successfully. It was close, he lacked some luck to have been closer, but Sagan and Alaphilippe are great riders and it was not easy. At the moment, everything goes as we want. "

 

Injured Sam Bennett boosts his morale on slow stage at the Tour de France

Sam Bennett survived another stage.

 

“The injuries of Sam look better than yesterday, we work pretty hard on his recovery but he´s suffering a lot. It was really a huge crash and it also hard to recover from that mentally. But Sam is a real fighter, he made it yesterday within the time limit to the finish. Now we will see day by day,” said Jan-Niklas Droste from the Bora-Argon 18 medical team.

 

Bennett said that the 2nd stage was extremely long for him and he couldn´t do any accelerations after corners because of the abrasions and stiches to his fingers. Today the stage was even longer, but the pace at the beginning of the stage was very moderate and it was important that he could stay in the peloton until the final kilometres. 

 

In the finale BORA - ARGON 18 supported Shane Archbold. The Kiwi in the team rides his first ever Tour and normally is the last lead-out rider for Sam Bennett. Today the sport directors decided to let him try to go for a result. At the 1k-to-go banner he was positioned very well, right on the wheel of Peter Sagan. But in the last metres he did not have the energy left to battle for the sprint. 

 

”The boys supported my very well during the day. I was in a good position, but in the final it was a big fight. I have experience in lead-outs but not in lead-outs like this. I did everything to hold my position in the sprint, but it was uphill and very hard. I am happy that I got this chance today and this experience will help me in future lead-outs to support Sam even better,” said Shane Archbold.

 

“I was realy happy that it was a flat and quiet stage. For Sam it is necessary that he can recover a little bit after his crash, stay in the peloton and finish within the time limit. That's all we are expecting for the moment and now we are already a little more optimistic in the team,” said Enrico Poitschke, sports director.

 

"They went a lot easier, it was perfect for a recovery day - a long, six hour recovery day.  It was good to stay in the peloton for longer, and it was good for morale as well I suppose. There are a few harder days to come. I didn't feel better, but I was going harder and faster today, and I was in the peloton longer today, so it is positive,” Sam Bennett told Eurosport

 

FDJ: Thibaut Pinot does not like these stages

While the riders of the FDJ team knew that they had nothing to expect from a day spent in ideal conditions, they know that this is another day done before the race really begins for them.

 

"On Sunday night I said that the riders were relieved to have the first two stages behind them," sports director Yvon Madiot said.." And today, they needed a quiet day, everyone needed a break. So it's true, it was a long day. For them and for us in the cars. It was like that until the passage of Renazé. Then the race accelerated.

 

"Thibaut do not like these stages. But the main thing is to have survived the day without problems. It was an easy day. I think tomorrow, for the longest stage of the Tour, it will be different. It will be a tailwind and there will be a breakaway. It'll be faster.""

 

Richie Porte and Greg Van Avermaet happy to get safely through dangerous Tour stage

For BMC, Tejay van Garderen gained a couple of places on the General Classification and now sits in 16thplace.

 

Richie Porte said:

 

"It's [the stage] slow but then you know it's going to be more hectic in the final which it was in the last 60 kilometers. It was super fast and quite dangerous but it's another day ticked off. It's still six hours on the bike. It's not hard enough to be a race but you're still not recovering. Fingers crossed that it's a little bit faster tomorrow but each day is a day closer to the goal."

 

Greg Van Avermaet added:

 

"Today's stage is a different type of race, more for the sprinters. And when you only have one guy in the front it's a bit boring and no one really wants to chase. But then the final is pretty hectic as everyone still has fresh legs, so it's pretty hard to be up there. It's pretty risky so I'm happy that it's over and we're all safe and on the same time."

 

Yvon Ledanois, Sports Director, said:

 

"After two complicated days with the weather and narrow roads today was a day more for recovery but the last 30 kilometers today was tricky, very complicated and a stage where we really need to help the leaders. It was a long day with this breakaway and tomorrow we have a similar stage, so we'll be looking to keep our leaders, Richie and Tejay, safe."

 

Mikael Cherel: I will remember this stage for a long time

"To pass Saint-Hilaire du Harcouet was awesome, this is the city where I was born,” Mikael Cherel said. “ThenI passed the home of my parents, Loges Marchis. I knew I would be welcomed by many there. I was allowed to ride ahead. I wanted to take maximum pleasure in that moment. It will remain in my memory. All these people that I knew, it was just huge. The emotion was great. It was a highlight and a privilege to get home. I'll remember that for a long time."