July 8, 2003 – Alessandro Petacchi (Fassa Bortolo) has taken his second win in just three road stages at this year's Tour de France. Petacchi's win comes after leading out from a long distance, holding off former World Champions Latvian Romans Vainsteins (Vini Caldirola-So.Di) and Oscar Freire (Rabobank). Brad McGee had to to turn in his yellow tunic, passing it over to Jean-Patrick Nazon (Jean Delatour) who gained interim bonus seconds during the stage. Unbelievably, Tyler Hamilton (CSC), still nursing a broken clavicle, managed to finish in the top-25% of the bunch, and remains in the top ten – just a couple of places ahead of defending Tour champ, Lance Armstrong (USPS-Berry Floor).
Stage 3: Charleville-M̩zi̬res РSaint-Dizier, 167.5 k1. Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) Fassa Bortolo 3.27.39 (48.40 km/h)
2. Romans Vainsteins (Lat) Vini Caldirola-So.Di
3. Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank
4. Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Telekom
5. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto Domo
6. Luca Paolini (Ita) Quick.Step-Davitamon
7. Olaf Pollack (Ger) Gerolsteiner
8. Angelo Furlan (Ita) Alessio
9. Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Saeco
10. Stuart O'grady (Aus) Credit Agricole
Overall: 1. Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) Jean Delatour 12.25.59
2. Bradley McGee (Aus) FDJeux.com 0.08
3. David Millar (GBr) Cofidis, Credit Par Telephone 0.12
4. Baden Cooke (Aus) FDJeux.com
5. Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.14
6. Jan Ullrich (Ger) Team Bianchi
7. Jaan Kirsipuu (Est) Ag2R Prevoyance 0.15
8. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Lotto Domo 0.18
9. Victor Hugo Pena (Col) US Postal-Berry Floor
10. Tyler Hamilton (USA) Team CSC
…..
12. Lance Armstrong (USA) US Postal-Berry Floor 0.19