Dumoulin Wins & Feillu Also Grins

The Progress Report _ The official start time of the third stage was 12.31pm. There were 179 riders at the sign on that was conducted under clear skies although the conditions deteriorated: wind and rain would be a feature of the stage. In the first kilometer, four riders - Feillu (AGR), Dumoulin (COF), Longho Borghini (BAR) and Frischkorn (TSL) – established an escape. By the 5km mark, they were 1’40” ahead of the peloton and the advantage group quickly. _ At the first sprint, Dumoulin claimed first ahead of Longo Borghini and Feillu. They were 6’55” ahead of the peloton. At the 28km mark, he peloton was at 8’40”. The average speed for the first hour was 39.9km/h. Caisse d’Epargne controlled the peloton and was content to watch the advantage grow: 36km – 10’30”; 40km – 11’20”; 55km – 12’55”; 60km – 13’50”; 66km 14’50”… this was the maximum gain and the catalyst to prompt two riders from the Columbia team began to chase. The average speed for the second hour was 35.1km/h. _ _ Pushing On With Escape _ With 100km to go, the peloton was led by riders from Columbia as well as Credit Agricole, Liquigas and Bouygues Telecom, and the deficit had dropped to 10’00”. The average speed for the third hour was 38.2km/h. With 70km to go FDJ also joined in the chase. _ With 57km to go in the stage, protestors spilled onto the road. The four escapees managed to squeeze through a small gap on the right of the road and Christian Prudhomme attempted to negotiate a clear passage for the peloton. An accord was struck by the race director and the bunch suffered no interruption. The deficit was down to 6’45” at that point. _ _ Crash Splits Peloton _ With about 26km to go there was a crash in the peloton. Gomez (SDV) was the worst affected but Sprick (BTL) and Sorensen (CSC) also came down. It prompted a split in the peloton. Menchov (RAB) and Ricco (SDV) were in the second group. Quickstep teamed up at the front of the first group to set a furious tempo. With 20km to go, Frischkorn, Dumoulin, Feillu and Longo Borghini led the yellow jersey’s peloton by 4’10” and Menchov’s group (which also included Ricco) by 4’35”. _ _ Victory For Dumoulin: Yellow Jersey For Feillu _ The first rider to attack the lead group was Dumoulin with 1,500m to go. He was chased down by Frischkorn and then Feillu who then counter-attacked but was reeled in by the Cofidis rider who burst into the lead again with about 450 meters to go and stayed there all the way despite a solid challenge by the Garmin-Chipotle and Agritubel riders. Dumoulin claimed his first Tour de France stage win. And Feillu earned the maillot jaune as his group finished 2’03” ahead of McEwen who led the first peloton to the line, beating most of the other usual sprint stage candidates. Menchov and Ricco’s group finished a further 38 seconds behind. _ Feillu leads the Tour de France from Longo Borghini and Frischkorn and Valverde.