July 8, 2002 (Saarbrücken, Germany) – World Champion Oscar Freire
(Mapei-Quick Step) showed the peloton how he may not win often, but when he
does, he does it well. Freire outlegged top-sprinters Robbie McEwen
(Lotto-Adecco) and Erik Zabel (Telekom) in a drag race to the finish. After
several failed breakaways the race came down to its usual high-risk
jockeying, with all of the favourites finishing in the main bunch. Against
all odds, the 23-year-old Rubens Bertogliati (Lampre Daikin) leader kept his
small lead over Zabel, Laurent Jalabert (CSC-Tiscali), and of course Lance
Armstrong (USPS).

Stage 3: Luxembourg – Saarbr¸cken (Germany) 181 km

1. Oscar Freire (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step 4.19.51

2. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto-Adecco

3. Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom

4. Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com

5. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2R Prevoyance

6. Andrej Hauptman (Slo) Tacconi Sport

7. Pedro Horillo (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step

8. Fred Rodriguez (USA) Domo-Farm Frites

9. Gian Matteo Fagnini (Ita) Team Deutsche Telekom

10. Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Credit Agricole

11. Danilo Hondo (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom

12. Jan Svorada (Cze) Lampre Daikin

13. FranÁois Simon (Fra) Bonjour

14. Paolo Bossoni (Ita) Tacconi Sport

15. Nico Mattan (Bel) Cofidis

16. Sergei Ivanov (Rus) Fassa Bortolo

17. JosÈ Enrique Gutierrez (Spa) Kelme-Costa Blanca

18. Martin Hvastija (Slo) Alessio

19. Luciano Pagliarini (Bra) Lampre Daikin

20. Gerhard Trampusch (Aut) Mapei-Quick Step

Overall:

1. Rubens Bertogliati (Swi) Lampre Daikin 9.18.12

2. Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Deutsche Telekom 0.02

3. Laurent Jalabert (Fra) CSC-Tiscali 0.03

4. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal Service

5. Raimondas Rumsas (Ltu) Lampre Daikin 0.06

6. Santiago Botero (Col) Kelme-Costa Blanca 0.07

7. David Millar (GBr) Cofidis 0.08

8. Laurent Brochard (Fra) Jean Delatour 0.09

9. Oscar Freire (Spa) Mapei-Quick Step 0.11

10. Dario Frigo (Ita) Tacconi Sport