In short
| Stage winner | SĂ©bastien CHAVANEL |
 (yellow jersey) |
Robert HUNTER |
 (green jersey) |
Robert HUNTER |
Starters' list | Time schedules
All classifications
| Stage |
|---|
 |
|
• Individual time • Individual points • Best team |
|
| Overall |
|
|
• Individual time • Individual points • Best team |
Prize for Combativeness
| Not yet available |  |
Stage by stage
| 1 | Friday 18 May | 176 km |
| Bohain-en-Vermandois > Albert | ||
| 2 | Saturday 19 May | 191 km |
| Airaines > Ribecourt-Dreslincourt | ||
| 3 | Sunday 20 May | 93.5 km |
| La Croix Saint Ouen > Soissons | ||
| 4 | Sunday 20 May | 91.5 km |
| Belleu > Laon | ||
| Total Length | 552 km | |
The race
Sunday 20 May 2007| stage 3 | La Croix Saint Ouen > Soissons - 93.5 km |
|---|
Chavanel is back
Start at 9:06 am for 138 riders. Chavanel finally wins the stage ahead of Renshaw. Hunter is still leader.
The film of the stage
The race starts at a nervous pace, on very slippery roads. Cozza (USA, TSL) falls heavily in the first kilometres and is condemned to give up. Many riders try and attack but no one succeeds. Until Boucher accelerates in Taillefontaine (km 39), followed by Rolland. The two leaders get up to 10’’ on the bunch before they are caught in Mortefontaine (km 44,5).
The race goes on at a quick rhythm (46 km/h average in the first hour), but the Cofidis and Barloworld teams control the bunch and prevent anyone from breaking away. Kaisen, Minard and Hinault take their chance while crossing Nouvron (km 63,5). Kaisen and Hinault are caught but Minard goes on, followed by Tombak. Together, the two riders early get a 20’’ advantage. But the bunch, led by the Barloworld moves closer and closer.
The gap remains the same until the first sprint on the line, where Tombak comes first ahead of Minard. The bunch rides 10’’ behind. But, in the final lap, the break is caught. Meanwhile Flickinger tries and breaks away but can’t fulfil his ambition. The bunch now gets ready fro another massive sprint. Chavanel finally wins ahead of Renshaw and Weylandt. Hunter remains overall leader.
The winner interview
SĂ©bastien Chavanel (Fra, Fdj), winner of the stage:
“It was my first race since the Tro Bro Leon. So it has been a bit hard on the first two days. But today I felt a bit better. So I tried to seize this opportunity, and it worked. Actually, it is a nice victory that makes me hope a great season.”