Newsflashes - Stage 0318:05:05 - The Top Six In Stage Three
The third stage of the Tour de France will be one to remember for the final 30km in which Columbia caused all sorts of chaos. The team also picked up the victory (again) thanks to Mark Cavendish. The top five is:
1. Mark Cavendish (GBR) THR
2. Thor Hushovd (NOR) CTT
3. Cyril Lemoine (FRA) SKS
4. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA) COF
5. Jerome Pineau (FRA) QSI
6. Fabian Cancellara (SUI) SAX
18:04:20 - Second Peloton 40" Behind
There was about 40 seconds between the first group and the second group at the finish of the third stage. Cancellara will keep his lead in the general classification.
18:02:47 - Cavendish Confirms His Talent... Again!
Make that six stage victories for Cavendish. The Columbia sprinter crossed the line holding his fingers to his ear in the gesture of a phone call. He makes sprinting seem so easy that he can toy with the others as he does his victory salute.
18:01:43 - 1km To Go
Can anyone hold off Cavendish? Don't count on it. The Columbia team has now started thinking about the stage win and Cavendish is lining up for the sprint...
17:59:38 - A Most Curious Conclusion...!
It was meant to be a formality: a sprinter's stage but it's no longer that at all. This is a day for Columbia which has caused chaos with its move 30km from the finish. The winner will come from one of the group of 28 which is now 2km from the finish with a lead of 38".
17:58:07 - The 28 Leaders
Hushovd, Roulston, Armstrong, Popovych, Zubeldia, Cancellara, Perez Moreno, Cavendish, Eisel, Grabsch, Hincapie, Kirchen, Martin, Montfort, Renshaw and Rogers, Auge, Dumoulin, Kern, Pineau, Bouet, Gerdemann, Wegmann, Lemoine, Beppu, De Kort, Geschke, Hivert, and Hupond are the men who have a lead of 34" with 4km to go in the third stage.
17:56:11 - 5km To Go: The Columbia Control Continues
As the second peloton reaches the 5km to go banner it is 33" behind the leading group of 28.
17:52:35 - 7km To Go
Cancellara remains in the lead group but his Saxo Bank GC riders, the Schleck brothers, are assisting in the chase of the group which is 38" behind with 7km to go in the stage.
17:51:27 - Silence Stranded
The Silence-Lotto team is the one taking the most responsibility for the pursuit of the 28 stage leaders. With 10km to go, the second peloton was 33" behind the Columbia/Cancellara/Armstrong group.
17:50:37 - 10km To Go
The lead group is increasing its advantage. There are now 10km to go and the Columbia group is 32" ahead.
17:47:58 - Composition Of Lead Group
The riders in the lead of the stage are: Hushovd and Roulston (Cervelo), Armstrong, Popovych and Zubeldia (Astana), Cancellara (Saxo Bank), Perez Moreno (Euskaltel), Cavendish, Grabsch, Hincapie, Kirchen, Martin, Montfort, Renshaw and Rogers (Columbia), Auge, Dumoulin and Kern (Cofidis), Pineau (Quickstep), Bouet (Agritubel), Gerdemann and Wegmann (Milram), Lemoine, Beppu, De Kort, Geschke, Hivert, Hupond (Skil-Shimano).
There are 11km to go in the stage and the advantage of the leaders is 29".
By Phil Liggett
By Bob Roll
