Joaquin Rodriguez of Katusha has won the third stage of the 102nd Tour De France.
Stage three on a sunny day brought a day in Belgium with Anvers, the world number one one centre for diamonds, hosting the race for third time with the start of a 159km stage to Huy in the province of Liege and where the famous Mur Du Huy is.
Four riders in Serge Pauwels (MTN-Qhubeka), Martin Elmiger (IAM), Jan Barta (Bora-Argon 18) and Bryan Nauleau (Europcar) went straight on the attack and they were 3.30 ahead with 129kms left.
The peloton had just brought back the escapers when there was a massive crash with 56kms left, which saw some riders hitting a lamp post involving Alberto Contador, the race leader Fabian Cancellera and a good number of others who had the deck very heavily, aloing with William Bonet who was first to crash
The race was immediately neutralised. but was soon underway again and then neutralised again. Team Sky, Astana and Movistar were livid as the race was stopped completely due to the number of medical staff which was not enough to look after all the riders who had crashed and those left in the race.
Tom Dunoulin of Giant Alpecin was out as was Simon Gerrans of Orica GreenEdge , FDJ's William Bonet and Dmitriy Kozonchuk (Katusha).
After a delay of nearly ten minutes, the peloton was finally on their way again, with the race started on the top of the category four Côte de Bohissau climb and the peloton were all together as they rode down the N898 through Perwez.
Van Summeren looked in a right state with his AG2R jersey ripped to shreds as he continued in the peloton which was sixteen seconds behind s group containing the most of the GC favourites.
Andrei Greipel, in the Green Jersey added some more points by beating John Dgenkolb to the sprint at Havelange with 31.5kms left.
Having left the province of Nemur, the riders entered the province of Liege on the N636 and the N641 heading for the second climb - the category four Cote d'Eroffe, which came with 16.5kms left left and over that before they came to the Mur Du Huy which was 1.3kms long.
Froome tried to control things but it was Joaquin Rodriguez who won in 3.25.14 ahead of Froome, Alexis Vuillermoz of AG2R La Mondiale, Daniel Martin, Tony Gallopin, Tejay Van Garderen, Vincenzo Nibali, Simon Yates, Nairo Quintana and Bauke Mollema.
The second place and bonus seconds means that Chris Froome is the new leader of the race by a second from Tony Martin after Fabian Cancellera came home 11.40 down.
Source: DSG
