Cycling-Groenewegen takes Tour stage three in photo finish (updated)

Bikeexchange

03/07/2022 17:39

(Adds details, quotes)
    SONDERBORG, Denmark, July 3 (Reuters) - Dutchman Dylan
Groenewegen of Team BikeExchange–Jayco clinched the third stage
of the Tour de France in a photo finish on Sunday as Wout van
Aert took second place to retain the overall leader's yellow
jersey.
    It was a sweet victory for Groenewegen who was suspended for
nine months by the International Cycling Union in 2020 for
causing the crash that severely injured Fabio Jakobsen at the
Tour of Poland. Jakobsen won Saturday's stage two.
    "It was a long way (back). I want to say thanks to my team,
family and friends to bring me back to the Tour in a good shape.
It's beautiful," said Groenewegen.
    "Not physically but mentally it was a hard time, of course.
This is for my wife and my son. It means a lot for me." 
    Belgian Jasper Philipsen crossed the line in third and Peter
Sagan of Slovakia finished the 182km flat ride from Vejle to
Sonderborg in fourth spot.
    It was a third consecutive runners-up finish for Belgian Van
Aert, who made little attempt to hide his frustration. 
    "This must be a record ... three days straight in the Tour
de France," said the Team Jumbo-Visma rider. "Definitely today
it was own fault ... (but) it's been a really special three days
and happy to take it to France now."
    Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl's Yves Lampaert occupies second place
overall, with twice defending champion Tadej Pogacar of UAE Team
Emirates in third.
    Magnus Cort of EF Education-EasyPost led the stage's early
breakaway and rode solo for 130km, cheered on by droves of home
fans as the Dane cemented his place at the top of the King of
the Mountains classification.
    The major drama of the day arrived with 10km to go after
several riders hit the deck following a massive crash, but most
of the top contenders escaped unhurt and did not lose any time.
    Monday is a rest day before the riders head to France and
tackle the mountains for the first time on Tuesday in a 171.5km
journey from Dunkirk to Calais.

 (Reporting by Dhruv Munjal in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond
and Ken Ferris)
 ((Dhruv.Munjal@thomsonreuters.com; +91 9818291916;))