July 08, 2014 (Lille Métropole, France) – Another notch in Marcel Kittel’s belt. The best sprinter in the world claimed his third win in four stages at this year’s Tour de France, but his triumph opposite Stade Pierre Mauroy in Lille was much more difficult than the previous ones. The Giant-Shimano colossus failed to anticipate Alexander Kristoff’s burst of raw power and had to squeeze every ounce of power he had to overtake the Norwegian, taking a Northern-flavoured stage which saw Chris Froome take a tumble at the very beginning. French champion Arnaud DÈmare (FJD) finished a solid third, ahead of Peter Sagan (CAN) and Bryan Coquard (EUC), the two main protagonists of the points classification.

Froome hits the deck
The first stage on French soil started on the beaches of Le Touquet without 2010 Tour champion Andy Schleck (TFR), taken out of commission by a ligament injury caused by a fall sustained in the approach to London the day before. Defending champion Chris Froome also got a taste of tarmac a few kilometres into the stage after being dragged into a fall which also involved Bauke Mollema (BEL) and Spanish champion Jon Izaguirre (MOV). Race number 1 made his way back to the peloton with a bruised right side, a scare and a few scratches.

Lemoine keeps his treasure
The Brit’s misery was a boon for the two attackers, whose lead had ballooned to 3?30? by kilometre 50. Further back, Marcel Kittel’s Giant-Shimano and André Greipel’s Lotto-Belisol organised the chase while a side wind sapped the breakaways’ strength. Maté took advantage of the race situation to grab the points at the top of the first category 4 climb in defence of teammate Cyril Lemoine’s polka-dot jersey.

The peloton splits
Today’s intermediate sprint was contested in Cassel, the scene of Thomas Voeckler’s win at the 2011 Four Days of Dunkirk. The Frenchman took it ahead of Maté, with Peter Sagan (CAN) coming in third to add 15 green jersey points to his tally. After the sprint, the Slovak’s teammates joined forces with Lotto to force a split. Riders like Micha? Kwiatkowski (OPQ) and Joaquim RodrÌguez (KAT) were caught unawares but eventually managed to claw their way back.

The Lotto train derails
This whole affair pushed Thomas Voeckler’s gap to 1:30 at the top of the Mont Noir and extended his daring solo adventure. However, the chasers regrouped and the Frenchman’s lead dwindled to just twenty seconds as he got out of ArmentiËres, 30 km before the line. Calamity struck when three of André Greipel’s Lotto-Belisol teammates crashed and Kiwi Greg Henderson was forced to leave the race. Thomas Voeckler’s adventure came to an end in the outskirts of Lille with 16 km to go.

Kittel pushed to the limit
A series of incidents, including Peter Sagan’s fall 15 km before the line, messed up the final sprint. When Alberto Contador and Andrew Talansky’s teammates moved to the front to keep their leaders out of harm’s way, Katusha seized the opportunity to set up Milan – San Remo winner Alexander Kristoff. Marcel Kittel was forced to use up all of his gunpowder to forge ahead and clinch his seventh Tour stage win in two years.

Stage 3 Report – Cambridge-London – 155km

For the third consecutive day, a rider from Bretagne-Séché Environnement was the first attacker as soon as Tour director Christian Prudhomme flagged off the race. After Benoît Jarrier on stage 1 and Armindo Fonseca on stage 2, it was the turn of Jean-Marc Bideau who had showed up in the middle of the superstars (Vincenzo Nibali, Peter Sagan, Alberto Contador, etc.) in the neutral zone as his mission was to not miss the first breakaway of the day. Only one rider managed to accompany him: Czech national time trial champion Jan Barta from NetApp-Endura. The leading duo was therefore formed of 30 year old riders taking part in the Tour de France for the first time and keen to enjoy riding ahead of the bunch in front of the enormous British crowd.

Barta-Bideau: 147 km at the front
Barta and Bideau got a maximum lead of 4.15 at km 33. The Astana team set the pace of the peloton for a while as a mark of respect to the yellow jersey worn for the first time by Vincenzo Nibali. Soon the sprinters’ teams took over with Lotto-Belisol giving an indication of André Greipel’s ambitions but the most seen rider was China’s Ji Cheng who stayed true to his nickname “breakaway killer” as he kept the race under control for a bunch gallop highly wanted by his leader Marcel Kittel. Jérémy Roy for FDJ.fr eventually came in help with 60km to go as French champion Arnaud Démare also eyed another victory in London eleven months after he claimed the first Ride London Classic.

Victory number 6 for Kittel
Barta rode as a time trial specialist in the last ten kilometers. Bideau got caught by the peloton eight kilometers before the end. Barta insisted for two more kilometers. Omega Pharma-Quick Step was the first sprinters’ team in action with Tony Martin putting the hammer down with 4km to go but soon Giant-Shimano showed their superiority.

For a little while, Marcel Kittel lost his train but Tom Veelers brought him back in the slipstream of his lead out man Koen De Kort. On The Mall, his power spoke for him. He turned his turbo on. Peter Sagan couldn’t even put his front wheel on the side of the German fast man. It’s Kittel’s sixth stage win at the Tour de France, so he’ll ride tomorrow with a “V6” mark on his frame plate number below the name of water supplier Vittel.

Results

Stage 3 – Cambridge to London – 155km

1. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano 3:38:30
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
3. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
4. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar
5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
6. Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
7. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
8. José Joaquin Rojas Gil (Esp) Movistar Team
9. Romain Feillu (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement
10. Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team
11. Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Team Netapp-Endura
12. Ramunas Navardauskas (Ltu) Garmin-Sharp
13. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
14. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ.fr
15. Michael Albasini (Sui) Orica Greenedge
16. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
17. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida
18. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
19. Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
20. Gregory Henderson (Nzl) Lotto-Belisol
21. Tom Veelers (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
22. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
23. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto-Belisol
24. Fabian Cancellara (Sui) Trek Factory Racing
25. Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
26. Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Sky
27. Jack Bauer (Nzl) Garmin-Sharp
28. Christopher Froome (Gbr) Team Sky
29. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team
30. Romain Bardet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
31. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
32. Matteo Trentin (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
33. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Esp) Movistar Team
34. Geraint Thomas (Gbr) Team Sky
35. Alberto Contador (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo
36. Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement
37. Michael Rogers (Aus) Tinkoff-Saxo
38. Jesus Herrada Lopez (Esp) Movistar Team
39. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
40. Jon Izaguirre Insausti (Esp) Movistar Team
41. Brice Feillu (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement
42. Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
43. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto-Belisol
44. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Orica Greenedge
45. Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Garmin-Sharp
46. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team
47. Mikel Nieve Iturralde (Esp) Team Sky
48. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp
49. Alexander Porsev (Rus) Team Katusha
50. Reto Hollenstein (Sui) IAM Cycling
51. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
52. Jean-Christophe Péraud (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
53. Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team
54. Kévin Reza (Fra) Team Europcar
55. Vasili Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky
56. Nelson Oliveira (Por) Lampre-Merida
57. Peter Velits (Svk) BMC Racing Team
58. Matteo Montaguti (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
59. Rui Alberto Costa (Por) Lampre-Merida
60. Ben Gastauer (Lux) AG2R La Mondiale
61. Mathias Frank (Sui) IAM Cycling
62. Tiago Machado (Por) Team Netapp-Endura
63. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo
64. Nicolas Roche (Irl) Tinkoff-Saxo
65. Tony Gallopin (Fra) Lotto-Belisol
66. Janier Alexis Acevedo Calle (Col) Garmin-Sharp
67. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana Pro Team
68. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ.fr
69. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team Netapp-Endura
70. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto-Belisol
71. Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Esp) Trek Factory Racing
72. Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky
73. Christopher Horner (USA) Lampre-Merida
74. Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
75. Arthur Vichot (Fra) FDJ.fr
76. Yury Trofimov (Rus) Team Katusha
77. Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) IAM Cycling
78. Koen De Kort (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
79. Markel Irizar Arranburu (Esp) Trek Factory Racing
80. Egor Silin (Rus) Team Katusha
81. Bram Tankink (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
82. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto-Belisol
83. Martin Elmiger (Sui) IAM Cycling
84. Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
85. Jan Barta (Cze) Team Netapp-Endura 0:00:19
86. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling
87. Roy Curvers (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
88. Simon Clarke (Aus) Orica Greenedge
89. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
90. Jens Keukeleire (Bel) Orica Greenedge
91. Marcus Burghardt (Ger) BMC Racing Team
92. Jan Bakelants (Bel) Omega Pharma-Quick Step 0:00:21
93. Adam Hansen (Aus) Lotto-Belisol 0:00:23
94. Marco Marcato (Ita) Cannondale
95. Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Cannondale 0:00:32
96. Svein Tuft (Can) Orica Greenedge 0:00:34
97. Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Team Europcar 0:00:38
98. John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano 0:00:43
99. William Bonnet (Fra) FDJ.fr 0:00:52
100. Roger Kluge (Ger) IAM Cycling 0:01:00
101. Leopold Konig (Cze) Team Netapp-Endura 0:01:02
102. Frank Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing 0:01:05
103. Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Team Europcar
104. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
105. Arnold Jeannesson (Fra) FDJ.fr
106. Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
107. Jens Voigt (Ger) Trek Factory Racing
108. Gregory Rast (Sui) Trek Factory Racing
109. Mickaël Delage (Fra) FDJ.fr
110. Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar
111. Paul Voss (Ger) Team Netapp-Endura
112. John Darwin Atapuma (Col) BMC Racing Team
113. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Garmin-Sharp
114. Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team Netapp-Endura
115. Kristijan Koren (Slo) Cannondale
116. Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) FDJ.fr
117. Elia Viviani (Ita) Cannondale
118. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Omega Pharma-Quick Step
119. Amaël Moinard (Fra) BMC Racing Team
120. Peter Stetina (USA) BMC Racing Team
121. Cyril Gautier (Fra) Team Europcar
122. Benoit Jarrier (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement
123. Andy Schleck (Lux) Trek Factory Racing
124. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
125. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica Greenedge
126. Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Cannondale
127. Xabier Zandio Echaide (Esp) Team Sky
128. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
129. Stef Clement (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
130. Albert Timmer (Ned) Team Giant-Shimano
131. Jérémy Roy (Fra) FDJ.fr
132. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Tinkoff-Saxo
133. Sébastien Reichenbach (Sui) IAM Cycling
134. Kristijan Durasek (Cro) Lampre-Merida
135. Cedric Pineau (Fra) FDJ.fr
136. Dmitriy Gruzdev (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
137. Matthew Busche (USA) Trek Factory Racing
138. Bart De Clercq (Bel) Lotto-Belisol
139. Marcel Wyss (Sui) IAM Cycling
140. Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz) Astana Pro Team
141. Ruben Plaza Molina (Esp) Movistar Team
142. Lars Bak (Den) Lotto-Belisol
143. Gatis Smukulis (Lat) Team Katusha
144. Vladimir Isaichev (Rus) Team Katusha
145. John Gadret (Fra) Movistar Team
146. Danny Pate (USA) Team Sky
147. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
148. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana Pro Team
149. Rein Taaramäe (Est) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
150. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica Greenedge
151. Sébastien Minard (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
152. Jean Marc Marino (Fra) Cannondale
153. José Serpa (Col) Lampre-Merida
154. Florian Guillou (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement
155. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Belkin Pro Cycling
156. Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por) Tinkoff-Saxo
157. Lars Boom (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling 0:01:18
158. Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Garmin-Sharp
159. Yohann Gene (Fra) Team Europcar 0:01:22
160. Luca Paolini (Ita) Team Katusha
161. Alessandro Vanotti (Ita) Astana Pro Team 0:01:26
162. Christian Meier (Can) Orica Greenedge 0:01:52
163. Simon Yates (Gbr) Orica Greenedge
164. Rafael Valls (Esp) Lampre-Merida
165. Ariel Maximiliano Richeze (Arg) Lampre-Merida
166. Imanol Erviti Ollo (Esp) Movistar Team
167. Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement
168. Benjamin King (USA) Garmin-Sharp
169. Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement
170. Cheng Ji (Chn) Team Giant-Shimano 0:01:58
171. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Team Giant-Shimano
172. Simon Spilak (Slo) Team Katusha
173. David Lopez Garcia (Esp) Team Sky
174. Mikael Cherel (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
175. José Pimenta Costa Mendes (Por) Team Netapp-Endura
176. Alex Howes (USA) Garmin-Sharp
177. Perrig Quemeneur (Fra) Team Europcar
178. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar Team
179. Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
180. Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
181. Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement
182. Jérôme Pineau (Fra) IAM Cycling
183. Benat Intxausti (Esp) Movistar Team 0:02:04
184. Joaquim Rodriguez (Esp) Team Katusha
185. David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Esp) Team Netapp-Endura
186. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Team Europcar
187. Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale
188. Blel Kadri (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:03:18
189. Jean-Marc Bideau (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement 0:03:55
190. Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:04:00
191. Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Esp) Cofidis, Solutions Credits
192. Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale 0:05:08
193. Rafal Majka (Pol) Tinkoff-Saxo 0:05:54
194. Michael Morkov (Den) Tinkoff-Saxo
195. Edward King (USA) Cannondale 0:07:25
196. Jesus Alberto Hernandez Blazquez (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo

Stage 4 – Le Touquet-Paris-Plage – Lille Métropole 163.5km

1. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Team Giant-Shimano
2. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Team Katusha
3. Arnaud Démare (Fra) FDJ.fr
4. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
5. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar
6. André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol
7. Mark Renshaw (Aus) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step Cycling Team
8. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Trek Factory Racing
9. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida
10. Daniel Oss (Ita) BMC Racing Team

GC after Stage 4

1. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Astana Pro Team 17:07:52
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale 0:00:02
3. Michael Albasini (Sui) Orica Greenedge
4. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC Racing Team
5. Alberto Contador Velasco (Esp) Tinkoff-Saxo
6. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Esp) Movistar Team
7. Christopher Froome (Gbr) Team Sky
8. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto-Belisol
9. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin Pro Cycling
10. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team