In short
| Stage winner | Jimmy CASPER |
 (yellow jersey) |
Cédric HERVE |
 (green jersey) |
Jimmy CASPER |
 (white jersey) |
Jérémy ROY |
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
 |
|
• Individual time • Individual points • Best young • Best team |
|
| Overall |
|
• Individual time• Individual points • Best young • Best team |
Stage by stage
| 1 | Friday 12 May | 186.5 km |
| Creil > Péronne | ||
| 2 | Saturday 13 May | 186.5 km |
| Nesle > Marle | ||
| 3 | Sunday 14 May | 98.5 km |
| Saint-Gobain > Nogent-sur-Oise | ||
| 4 | Sunday 14 May | 88 km |
| Villers-Saint-Paul > Creil | ||
| Total | 559.5 km | |
The race
Sunday 14 May 2006| stage 3 | Saint-Gobain > Nogent-sur-Oise - 98.5 km |  |
 |
|---|
Casper as expected
Jimmy Casper won the third stage between Saint-Gobain and Nogent-sur-Oise. The rider from Montdidier was fastest of a final 15-man sprint. 16 riders had indeed managed to take off halfway through the stage. In the overall, Cedric Herve claimed the new overall leader’s yellow jersey with only a one second lead over Casper.
The film of the stage
At 9.00 this morning, 121 riders took off for the start of this third stage. In the first kilometres, quite a few riders tried to attack. But none managed to break away until Valoti (LPR), Omloop (UNI) and Martias (BTL) launched an attempt at kilometre 8. They slowly inceased their advantage on the pack. The gap reached up to 30’’ before they were finally caught at kilometre 20.
At kilometre 25, Tombak (KCT), Roy (FDJ), Contrini, Valoti (LPR), Tjallingii (SKS), Pichot (BTL), Coutouly (AGR), Casper (COF), Engoulvent (CA), Marcato (AGC), Hunt, Omloop (UNI), Sabido (BAR), Hervé (BJF), Blanchy and Haynes (JAR) broke away. Little by little the 16 riders managed to have a 55’’ advantage on the bunch, in spite of the chase led by the Auber 93 team. At kilometre 55, the Davitamon-Lotto riders moved to the front of the pack and eased up the pace. As a result, the advantage of the break away group dropped down to 30’’ at kilometre 60.
But the leaders hung on to the lead. When passing the first sprint of the day in Verberie (km 76) won by Casper ahead of Engoulvent and Tjallingii, they even enjoyed a 1’40’’ advantage on solo rider Friedman and 2’05" on the bunch. And at kilometre 78,5, the gap rose up to 3’50’’.
At that very moment, all the riders in the break started considering victory, for both the stage and the overall. Tombak, Coutouly and others tried to take off on their own. But none managed to have a decent lead on their companions. Under the red flag, the 16 still remained together for a final sprint. Casper eventually was the fastest and grabbed the stage win. In the overall standings, Herve who was just two seconds away from the leader this morning, captured the yellow jersey.