Matthews finished the 85.5-mile (137.6-kilometer) road race from Ogden to Salt Lake City in 3 hours, 24 minutes, 7 seconds. Swiss rider Michael Schär of BMC Racing Team finished second and American teammate Brent Bookwalter placed third on today’s stage.
Matthews was part of a five-man breakaway that formed shortly after departing Ogden and, along with U.S. national road race champion Timmy Duggan (Liquigas-Cannondale), spent most of the day trying to hold off a hard-charging peloton with Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda setting the pace. The break was caught near the summit of Big Mountain, about 17 miles from the finish. A fast descent down Emigration Canyon set up the exciting sprint.
The overall leaders remain unchanged, with Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda’s Christian VandeVelde (USA) retaining his Larry H. Miller Dealerships Overall Leader’s jersey in 9 hours, 12 minutes, 23 seconds. With the same time are teammates Tommy Danielson (USA) and Dave Zabriskie (USA) in second and third, respectively, on the general classification.
“Today was just trying to survive until the finish and see what I had left, if I was still there. I think it was a good tactical decision,” said Matthews, the 2010 U-23 World Road Race Champion. “There was a fair bit of mind games actually on the last bit of the climb. … I think I was pretty lucky when they caught me on the climb. I was able to get over the top with them and just get to the front for the finish.”
After his time in the breakaway ended, Duggan spent much of the final descent on the front setting the pace to help his Liquigas sprinter, Damiano Caruso (Italy). Duggan was rewarded at the end by taking over the Ski Utah King of the Mountains jersey.
“If you’re in a position you have to go for it,” Duggan said of finding himself with an unexpected spot in the early breakaway. “It worked out and I’m still in position for the G.C., and I got the KOM jersey, so that’s good.”
For his efforts in the break, Matthews earned the Exergy Development Group Most Aggressive Rider jersey to go along with stage win. Matthews also earned the XO Communications Sprint jersey. Salt Lake City’s Jeff Louder (UnitedHealthCare) was awarded the Miller Light Best Utah Rider jersey. Bontrager Livestrong’s Lawson Craddock (USA) retained the Subaru Best Young Rider jersey.
Friday, August 10 is Stage Four presented by Adobe. This is a 134.2-mile (216.2-kilometer) road race from XANGO headquarters in Lehi to EnergySolutions Arena in downtown Salt Lake City. The course is the flattest in the 2012 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah with only 4,219 feet (1,285 meters) of vertical gain. After leaving Lehi, the peloton will travel along roads used by the old Pony Express before heading north to Salt Lake City. Action begins in Lehi at 10:15 a.m. with an estimated finish in Salt Lake City of 3:45 p.m.
Results
1. Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team 3:24:07
2. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team
3. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team
4. Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
5. Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Spidertech p/b C10
6. Gavin Mannion (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team
7. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
8. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Team Exergy
9. Joshua Atkins (Nzl) Bontrager Livestrong Team
10. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Esp) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
11. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Bontrager Livestrong Team
12. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
13. Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team Spidertech p/b C10
14. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
15. Michael Creed (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
16. Francisco Jarley Colorado Hernandez (Col) EPM-UNE
17. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team
18. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
19. Mike Olheiser (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
20. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
21. Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
22. Yann Huguet (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano
23. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
24. George Bennett (Nzl) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek
25. Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team
26. Mathias Flueckiger (Sui) BMC Racing Team
27. Robigzon Leandro Oyola Oyola (Col) EPM-UNE
28. Ian Boswell (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team
29. Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
30. Andres Diaz Corrales (Col) Team Exergy
31. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
32. Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team
33. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
34. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
35. Max Jenkins (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
36. Taylor Sheldon (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
37. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma-QuickStep
38. Marc Goos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
39. Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team NetApp
40. Christopher Horner (USA) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek
41. Oliver Zaugg (Sui) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek
42. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Spidertech p/b C10
43. Matthew Busche (USA) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek
44. Leopold Koenig (Cze) Team NetApp
45. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
46. Julian Kyer (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
47. Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek
48. Jeffry Louder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
49. Jorge Camilo Castiblanco Cubides (Col) EPM-UNE
50. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
51. Eduard Alexander Beltran Suarez (Col) EPM-UNE
52. Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team
53. Rafael Infantino Abreu (Col) EPM-UNE
54. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
55. Timothy Duggan (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale
56. Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
57. Johann Tschopp (Sui) BMC Racing Team
58. Mathew Cooke (USA) Team Exergy
59. Freddy Orlando Piamonte Rodriguez (Col) EPM-UNE
60. Jens Voigt (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek 01:50
61. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp
62. Jesse Anthony (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
63. Jeroen Hoorne (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep
64. Benjamin King (USA) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek
65. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
66. Ronan Van Zandbeek (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano
67. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
68. Marsh Cooper (Can) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
69. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 03:38
70. Andreas Dietziker (Sui) Team NetApp
71. Javier Eduardo Gomez Pineda (Col) EPM-UNE
72. Serghei Tvetcov (Mda) Team Exergy
73. Reto Hollenstein (Sui) Team NetApp
74. Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano
75. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
76. Hugo Houle (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10
77. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep 03:38
78. Robert Forster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 10:00
79. Jacobe Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
80. Hilton Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
81. Brian Vandborg (Den) Team Spidertech p/b C10
82. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
83. Joost Posthuma (Ned) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek
84. Reid Mumford (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
85. Kirk Carlsen (USA) Team Exergy
86. Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep
87. Dominic Klemme (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano
88. Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
89. Ryan Roth (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10
90. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team
91. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano
92. Edward King (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale
93. Ian Burnett (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
94. Joseph Schmalz (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
95. Alex Vanias (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
96. Gang Xu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
97. Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano
98. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
99. William Clarke (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
100. Matthias Friedmann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
101. Connor O’Leary (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team
102. Sebastian Salas (Can) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
103. James Oram (Nzl) Bontrager Livestrong Team
104. Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team NetApp
105. David Boily (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10
106. Marco Benfatto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
107. Will Routley (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10
108. Alexander Candelario (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
109. David Williams (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
110. Chris Barton (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
111. Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
112. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling
113. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
114. Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team
115. Jacob Rathe (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
116. Alex Howes (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
117. Morgan Schmitt (USA) Team Exergy 13:58
118. Sam Johnson (USA) Team Exergy
119. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
120. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda 19:56
Position (Uci Code) Team
GC after Stage 3
1. Christian Vandevelde (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda 9:12:23
2. Thomas Danielson (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
3. David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda
4. Peter Stetina (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda 00:30
5. Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 00:33
6. Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
7. George Bennett (Nzl) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek 00:38
8. Christopher Horner (USA) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek
9. Matthew Busche (USA) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek
10. Rory Sutherland (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 00:43
11. Brent Bookwalter (USA) BMC Racing Team 00:50
12. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
13. Julian Kyer (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
14. Michael Schär (Sui) BMC Racing Team 00:52
15. Johann Tschopp (Sui) BMC Racing Team 00:57
16. Ivan Santaromita (Ita) BMC Racing Team 00:58
17. Mathias Frank (Sui) BMC Racing Team
18. Mathias Flueckiger (Sui) BMC Racing Team
19. Lawrence Warbasse (USA) BMC Racing Team
20. Andrew Bajadali (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 01:03
21. Michael Creed (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies
22. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Esp) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team 01:06
23. Max Jenkins (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team
24. Joshua Atkins (Nzl) Bontrager Livestrong Team 01:08
25. Ian Boswell (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team
26. Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team
27. Leopold Koenig (Cze) Team NetApp 01:10
28. Caleb Fairly (USA) Team Spidertech p/b C10 01:14
29. Flavio De Luna (Mex) Team Spidertech p/b C10 01:16
30. Lucas Euser (USA) Team Spidertech p/b C10 01:16
31. Damiano Caruso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 01:25
32. Timothy Duggan (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale 01:29
33. Mathew Cooke (USA) Team Exergy 01:39
34. Marc Goos (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 01:44
35. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 01:54
36. Francisco Jarley Colorado Hernandez (Col) EPM-UNE 02:00
37. Jorge Camilo Castiblanco Cubides (Col) EPM-UNE
38. Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 02:01
39. Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma-QuickStep 02:04
40. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 02:43
41. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Team Exergy 02:50
42. Mike Olheiser (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team 02:56
43. Cameron Wurf (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 03:05
44. Eduard Alexander Beltran Suarez (Col) EPM-UNE 03:08
45. Robigzon Leandro Oyola Oyola (Col) EPM-UNE 03:11
46. Freddy Orlando Piamonte Rodriguez (Col) EPM-UNE 03:11
47. Rafael Infantino Abreu (Col) EPM-UNE 03:16
48. Jesse Anthony (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 04:04
49. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 05:18
50. Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek 05:37
51. Taylor Sheldon (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team 05:41
52. Gavin Mannion (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team 05:43
53. Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 06:06
54. Andres Diaz Corrales (Col) Team Exergy 06:14
55. Benjamin King (USA) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek 07:03
56. Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team 07:13
57. Jeffry Louder (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 07:20
58. Paolo Longo Borghini (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 07:21
59. Ronan Van Zandbeek (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano 08:15
60. Yann Huguet (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano 08:34
61. Christopher Jones (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 09:10
62. Andreas Dietziker (Sui) Team NetApp 09:23
63. Reto Hollenstein (Sui) Team NetApp 09:23
64. Hugo Houle (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10 09:29
65. Oliver Zaugg (Sui) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek 09:47
66. Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Team Argos-Shimano 10:03
67. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 10:07
68. Serghei Tvetcov (Mda) Team Exergy 10:12
69. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Bontrager Livestrong Team 10:17
70. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep 10:17
71. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 10:52
72. Lawson Craddock (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team 11:08
73. Andreas Schillinger (Ger) Team NetApp 11:20
74. Bartosz Huzarski (Pol) Team NetApp 11:33
75. Alexander Candelario (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 12:14
76. Jeroen Hoorne (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep 12:14
77. Marsh Cooper (Can) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 12:17
78. Javier Eduardo Gomez Pineda (Col) EPM-UNE 12:22
79. Ryan Roth (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10 12:27
80. Brian Vandborg (Den) Team Spidertech p/b C10 14:17
81. Tom Jelte Slagter (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 15:08
82. Scott Zwizanski (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 15:38
83. Connor O’Leary (USA) Bontrager Livestrong Team 15:43
84. James Oram (Nzl) Bontrager Livestrong Team 15:43
85. Thomas Rabou (Ned) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team 15:54
86. Edward King (USA) Liquigas-Cannondale 16:06
87. Joseph Schmalz (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 16:38
88. Martin Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep 16:39
89. Sebastian Salas (Can) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 16:49
90. Jacob Rathe (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda 17:57
91. David Boily (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10 18:49
92. Will Routley (Can) Team Spidertech p/b C10 18:49
93. Reid Mumford (USA) Team Optum p/b Kelly Benefit Strategies 18:52
94. Alex Howes (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda 19:09
95. Robert Forster (Ger) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 19:13
96. Jeremy Vennell (Nzl) Bissell Pro Cycling 19:59
97. Jacobe Keough (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 20:02
98. Ian Burnett (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team 20:15
99. David Williams (USA) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team 20:15
100. Thomas Leezer (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 20:38
101. Marco Benfatto (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 20:40
102. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano 20:59
103. Matthias Friedmann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 21:03
104. Kirk Carlsen (USA) Team Exergy 21:07
105. Cesare Benedetti (Ita) Team NetApp 21:09
106. Jens Voigt (Ger) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek 21:55
107. Alex Vanias (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 21:56
108. Nathan Haas (Aus) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda 22:11
109. Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team 22:14
110. Hilton Clarke (Aus) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team 22:31
111. Joost Posthuma (Ned) Radioshack-Nissan-Trek 22:58
112. Gang Xu (Chn) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 23:28
113. Tom Stamsnijder (Ned) Team Argos-Shimano 23:49
114. Dominic Klemme (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano 23:59
115. Sam Johnson (USA) Team Exergy 24:17
116. Morgan Schmitt (USA) Team Exergy 24:17
117. William Clarke (Aus) Champion System Pro Cycling Team 28:09
118. Tommy Nankervis (Aus) Competitive Cyclist Racing Team 28:26
119. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda 29:05
120. Chris Barton (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling 29:51
Position Team