2011 Tour de France, Stage 3

Stage 3 is classified as a flat stage, although it does have one category 4 climb in it. It starts in Olonne-sur-Mer and ends 198km later in Redon.

Within the first kilometers a 5-man breakaway formed. Niki Terpstra (Quick Step), José Ivan Gutierrez (Movistar), Maxime Bouet (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Mickael Delage (FDJ) and Ruben Perez Moreno (Euskatel-Euskadi) already had 45 seconds at the 3km mark. The breakaway had a maximum advantage of 8 minutes at 84km. The best-placed rider in the attack was Jose Ivan Gutierrez; as of this morning he was in 59th place with only 1:09 down on the Yellow Jersey.

During the race, Charteau was allowed to leave the peloton and greet his family at the roadside



The intermediate sprint had the following results: Delage (20 points), Gutierrez (17), Terpstra (15), Moreno (13), and Bouet (11). When the peloton crossed it minutes later, more points were handed out: Cavendish (10), Galimzyanov (9), Rojas (8), Boonen (7), Gilbert (6), Duque (5), Hushovd (4), Steegmans (3), Bozic (2), Feillu (1).  Note: Cavendish and Hushovd ended up being disqualified from the points in the intermediate sprint. Hushovd lost his line and Cavendish used his head to push Hushovd.

The 1 KOM point today was taken by Delage without a contest by the rest of the breakway.

Three of the 5-man breakaway, Terpstra, Moreno and Bouet, were caught about 13km from the finish when HTC-Highroad really chasing them down. Delage and Gutierrez held on for 4 more kilometers before finally being caught. At 7.5km out, the pace of the peloton was reaching 70kph (43.5mph!!!).

However on America's Day of Independence, it is in fact an American who won. Tyler Farrar of Garmin-Cervelo pulled off a win by millimeters. As he crossed the finish line, he made a 'W' with his fingers to honor his friend and teammate Woulter Weylandt, the cyclist who died in the Giro d'Italia this year. This is the 2nd day in a row that Garmin-Cervelo won a stage.

Results of Stage 3:

1 Tyler Farrar 4:40:21
2 Romain Feillu
3 Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil
4 Sébastien Hinault
5 Mark Cavendish
6 Thor Hushovd
7 Julian Dean
8 Borut Bozic
9 André Greipel
10 Jimmy Engoulvent

Fun Fact of the Day: Tyler Farrar is the only American to have won a stage in the Tour de France on the Fourth of July.

Favorite Pictures of the Day:

Thomas Voeckler signing in with his son

Ivan Basso after signing in

Brothers Andy (L) and Frank (R) Schleck riding in the Peloton