Sagan ‘powers’ to Tour stage victory

Thomas keeps lead, Froome up to 2nd

LONGWY, France, July 3, (AFP): Peter Sagan said having his brother alongside him as he won his eighth Tour de France stage on Monday made it extra special.

The world champion surged clear on the uphill finish to win the 212.5km third stage from Verviers in Belgium to Longwy.

But he credited his brother Juraj, the Slovak national champion, for working hard all day for his Bora team.

“It’s very nice, I’m very happy for him because he can feel also the atmosphere of the Tour de France for the first time,” said Sagan, 27, of his 28-year-old brother.

“I have to say thank you to all my team because they did an amazing job, especially my brother, all day in the front pulling to catch the breakaway.”

Sagan also said it was his brother who had first got him interested in bicycle racing.

“It’s special because he’s my brother, we can race on bikes.

“For sure without my brother, I’m not here now. It was his idea and after I followed.”

One of Sagan’s shoes was unclipped in the sprint finish but he kept his cool, re-clipped and pushed on to win ahead of Australian Michael Matthews, with Dan Martin of Ireland in third.

Briton Geraint Thomas kept the yellow jersey after coming home in eighth, one place ahead of his Sky Slovakia’s Peter Sagan (left), sprints to win ahead of Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet (right), and Ireland’s Daniel Martin at the end of the 212.5 kms third stage of the 104th edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 3, between Verviers, Belgium and Longwy,

France. (AFP)

France’s Lilian Calmejane celebrates his combativity prize on the podium at the end of the 212.5 km third stage of the 104th edition of the Tour de France cycling race on July 3, between Verviers, Belgium

and Longwy, France. (AFP)

motor racing circuit included along the course and the sun out, there was much to enjoy for riders and fans alike.

A six-man breakaway was allowed around two minutes for most of the day’s racing and spent their time battling for king of the mountain points along the five climbs.

Having seen his compatriot and Cannondale team-mate Taylor Phinney claim the polkadot jersey on Sunday, American Nathan Brown took the necessary points to keep it in the family.

For the most part, the peloton and overall favourites enjoyed a leisurely day in the saddle.

But in the final 60km, three more escapees joined up with the breakaway, whose advantage was down to one minute, and gave it added impetus.

However, the punchers’ teams weren’t prepared to give them any leeway and Frenchman Lilian Calmejane, the last man standing, was caught with 10km to ride.

From then on, it was up to the specialist punchers and Sagan, once again, proved the strongest.

He also closed in on the green points jersey, still held by Sunday’s stage two winner Marcel Kittel of Germany, which Sagan has won in each of the last five years. team — Jonas Hector, Joshua Kimmich and Julian Draxler — are first-choice starters.

“Despite our success here and with the juniors in Poland, we’ll still have to reconfirm our victories next year (at the World Cup), but the job starts now, the work is just beginning,” said Loew.

“The young ones are only just coming up, this is the first tournament for many of these players.

“They have done well, but staying at the top is another matter and we will have to work hard to defend our title next year.

“The team had to fight back, the Chileans are very robust and things were heating up in the second half, we were fighting for every metre to defend our lead.

“It was a magic match for our young players, they haven’t had much experience, but they showed their singleminded determination, which was LONGWY, France, July 3, (AP): Results and standings on Monday in the Tour de France: Third Stage A 212.5-km (32-mile) hilly ride from Verviers, Belgium to Longwy, with five categorized climbs

1. Peter Sagan, Slovakia, BoraHansgrohe, 5:07:19.

2. Michael Matthews, Sunweb, same time.

3. Daniel Martin, Ireland, QuickStep Floors, same time.

4. Greg Van Avermaet, Belgium, BMC Racing, same time.

5. Alberto Bettiol, Italy, Cannondale Drapac, 2 seconds behind.

6. Arnaud Demare, France, FDJ, same time.

7. Jakob Fuglsang, Astana, same time.

8. Geraint Thomas, Britain, Sky, same time.

9. Chris Froome, Britain, Sky, same time.

10. Rafal Majka, Poland, BoraHansgrohe, same time.

11. Nairo Quintana, Colombia, Movistar,

Australia,

Denmark, same time.

12. Romain Bardet, France, AG2R La Mondiale, same time.

13. Tim Wellens, Belgium, Lotto Soudal, same time.

14. Richie Porte, Australia, BMC Racing, same time.

15. Tiesj Benoot, Belgium, Lotto Soudal, same time.

16. Guillaume Martin, France, Wanty-Groupe Gobert, same time. 150. Thibaut Pinot, France, FDJ, 3:07. Overall Standings (After three stages)

1. Geraint Thomas, Britain, Sky, 10:00:31. 2. Chris Froome, Britain, Sky, :12. 3. Michael Matthews, Australia, Sunweb, same time.

4. Peter Sagan, Slovakia, BoraHansgrohe, :13.

5. Edvald Boasson Hagen, Norway, Dimension Data, :16.

6. Pierre-Roger Latour, France, AG2R La Mondiale, :25.

7. Philippe Gilbert, Belgium, QuickStep Floors, :30.

8. Michal Kwiatkowski, Poland, Sky, :32.

9. Tim Wellens, Belgium, Lotto Soudal, same time.

10. Nikias Arndt, Germany, Sunweb, :34.

11. Alexey Lutsenko, Kazakhstan, Astana, :37.

12. Stefan Kueng, BMC Racing, :38.

13. Emanuel Buchmann, Germany, Bora-Hansgrohe, :40.

14. Greg Van Avermaet, Belgium, BMC Racing, same time.

15. Daniel Martin, Ireland, QuickStep Floors, :43.

16. Diego Ulissi, Italy, UAE Team Emirates, same time.

Switzerland,

21. Nairo Quintana, Colombia, Movistar, :48.

24. Romain Bardet, France, AG2R La Mondiale, :51.

27. Alberto Contador, Spain, TrekSegafredo, :54.

123. Thibaut Pinot, France, FDJ, 3:55.