Amazing day for Hesjedal
Canadian Ryder Hesjedal fourth in the Tour's third stage after dramatic 200 km breakaway and being caught with 6.5 km to go
Ryder Hesjedal came agonizingly close to winning a stage of the Tour de France Tuesday, but still had a good day to finish fourth. The Victoria native riding for Team Garmin-Transitions got into a break just 11 km into the 213 km stage and the group of seven quickly built up a four-minute lead.
With Hesjedal starting the day in 27th, at 3:43 back, the four-minute lead meant he was the virtual leader of the Tour. The group was slowly reeled back in though, but with 24 km left in the stage and as the race entered its fifth section of cobblestones, Hesjedal blasted off the front and built himself a 30-second margin.
The Canadian logged plenty of TV time throughout the day, and he fought hard to the bitter end, but with 6.5 km remaining, an elite chase group containing, among others, Fabian Cancellara, Cadel Evans, Geraint Thomas, Thor Hushovd and Andy Schleck caught him. Hesjedal still didn’t give up though, grabbing the last wheel of the chase group. In the final few hundred metres, the Canadian jumped out of the group and led out the sprint, but it was Hushovd taking the win with Thomas second and Evans third.
Hesjedal, who was named the day’s most agressive rider, finished fourth and now sits fourth overall in the Tour’s GC standings, 46 seconds behind Cancellara in yellow. Team Sky’s Michael Barry sits 63rd at 3:33.