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2014 Tour de France Stage 3: Kittel wins sprint in London, Nibali keeps yellow

July 7, 2014
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German sprintmeister Marcel Kittel of Giant-Shimano took his second victory of the 101st Tour de France in the wet climax of Monday’s stage to London. Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) kept his yellow jersey.

The final day in England featured a flat 155 km course from Cambridge to London that wasn’t destined to draw a large breakaway, but two riders volunteered to be the day’s rabbits. Jan Barta (Czech Republic/NetApp) and Frenchman Jean-Marie Bideau broke free, Bideau’s presence ensuring that Bretagne-Séché had men in three consecutive breakaways. The duo took a maximum 4:30 lead.

As tradition dictates, Nibali’s Astana team did the peloton pace-making before the sprinters’ squads took over: FDJ for Arnaud Démare (France), Lotto-Belisol representing Andre Greipel (Germany) and Giant-Shimano looking after the interests of Marcel Kittel (Germany).

The peloton was interested in the intermediate sprint’s remaining points available at Epping Forest with 45 km to go. Bryan Coquard (France/Europcar) was first over the line from the bunch.

Rain made the 20-km circuit in London dangerous. The capital of England was packed with soggy spectators. The gap was a minute with 13 km remaining. GC teams like Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo led the pack to keep their captains safe. Barta was the last resistor, gobbled up with 6 km remaining.

Giant-Shimano took over the front of the race before a crash halfway down the peloton. At Buckingham Palace Alessandro Petacchi (Italy/Omega Pharma-QuickStep) tried to lead out his teammate Mark Renshaw (Australia), but Kittel would not be denied, finishing ahead of the green jersey wearer Peter Sagan (Slovakia/Cannondale). Renshaw took third.

Tuesday the Tour hits France, with a 164 km flat stage from Le Tourquet Paris Plage to Lille.


2014 Tour de France Stage 3
1) Marcel Kittel (Germany/Giant-Shimano) 3:38:30
2) Peter Sagan (Slovakia/Cannondale) s.t.
3) Mark Renshaw (Australia/Omega Pharma-QuickStep) s.t.
96) Svein Tuft (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +0:34
162) Christian Meier (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +1:52

2014 Tour de France GC
1) Vincenzo Nibali (Italy/Astana) 13:31:13
2) Peter Sagan (Slovakia/Cannondale) +0:02
3) Michael Albasini (Switzerland/Orica-GreenEdge) s.t.
138) Svein Tuft (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +16:13
154) Christian Meier (Canada/Orica-GreenEdge) +17:31

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