Froome faces early challenge from BMC

Besides still having to make up most of the 51 seconds he lost in a Stage 1 crash, Chris Froome faces another challenge as he seeks a recordtying fifth Tour de France title — Richie Porte’s BMC team.

CHOLET, FRANCE » Besides still having to make up most of the 51 seconds he lost in a Stage 1 crash, Chris Froome faces another challenge as he seeks a recordtying fifth Tour de France title — Richie Porte’s BMC team.

BMC beat Froome’s Team Sky by four seconds on Monday to win a team time trial in Stage 3, with Belgian rider Greg Van Avermaet taking the yellow jersey.

“We have the yellow jersey, we won a stage with the team ... and Richie can finish it off with a nice podium spot in Paris,” Van Avermaet said. “Everyone is working well together and we have a strong team and Richie can be up there.”

Riding at an average speed of 54.9 kph (34 mph), BMC clocked 38 minutes, 46 seconds over the 35.5-kilometer (22-mile) route that began and ended in Cholet near the Atlantic coast.

Sky finished second and Quick-Step Floors came third, seven seconds behind. World champion Sunweb featuring Tom Dumoulin finished fifth, 11 seconds back.

Overnight leader Peter Sagan was dropped by his Bora Hansgrohe teammates and fell to 80th overall, three minutes behind.

Van Avermaet, who excels at single-day classics, isn’t a threat for the overall title but he could keep the lead through the cobblestoned Stage 9 ending in Roubaix.

Froome was left 55 seconds behind in the overall standings with another week of nervy rolling stages before hitting the Alps.

“We’re just ... trying to get through the best we can until we get to the mountains,” Froome said

“There will be a lot more time lost throughout the GC group before we hit the mountains. One day you gain, one day you lose. That’s just the nature of the game.”

Froome is aiming to join Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain as the only riders to win the Tour five times.

Van Avermaet earned the yellow jersey by leading BMC over the line, just ahead of American teammate Tejay van Garderen, who moved up to second overall with the same time as Van Avermaet.

Geraint Thomas of Sky was third overall, three seconds behind.

Among the overall favorites, Dumoulin was seventh (11 seconds behind), last year’s runner-up Rigoberto Uran was 10th (:35), Porte was 14th (:51), Movistar teammates Alejandro Valverde and Mikel Landa were 17th (:53), Froome was 18th (:55), Adam Yates was 20th (1:00) and 2014 champion Vincenzo Nibali was 22nd (1:06).