Pedersen wins the third stage after winning the sprint

Mads Pedersen (Trek – Segafredo) won the third stage of the Paris – Nice which was played this Wednesday between Vierzon and Dun-le-Palestel (190.8 km). Christophe Laporte (Jumbo – Visma) keeps the leader’s jersey although suffered a fall without consequences in the final stretch.

Pedersen won the sprinter duel against Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), second and third respectively. Laporte rolled on the asphalt with the yellow jersey on his back, but was able to cross the finish line without serious damage.

The stage had the leading role of 3 runners who soon bet on the adventure: De Gendt, Doull and Gougeard They launched into an impossible dream that ended 26 kilometers from the finish line, when the peloton picked up the pace so that the victory was decided in the sprint.

In an ascending finish, the men of Ag2r Citrôen, including Movistar, were encouraged, looking for luck for García Cortina. But the Trek – Segafredo and Pedersen had the appointed day and put the ordago on the table. Pedersen attacked from afar, Coquard and Van Aert came out on his wheel thinking that haste would take its toll on the Dane, but held on tight and took the stage win in what was his premiere in the ‘Carrera del Sol’.

Classification of the 3rd stage:

1 – PEDERSEN Mads (Trek – Segafredo) 4:23:29

2 – COQUARD Bryan (Cofidis) mt

3 – VAN AERT Wout (Jumbo-Visma) mt

4 – PHILIPSEN Jasper (Alpecin-Fenix) mt

5 – TURGIS Anthony (TotalEnergies) mt

6 – GIRMAY HAILU Biniam (Intermarché) mt

7 – WRIGHT Fred (Bahrain – Victorious) mt

8 – VAN POPPEL Danny (BORA – hansgrohe) mt

9- HAYTER Ethan (INEOS Grenadiers) mt

10 – MOLANO Juan Sebastian (UAE Team Emirates) mt

General classification after the 3rd stage:

1 – LAPORTE Christophe (Jumbo-Visma) 11:34:44

2 – VAN AERT Wout (Jumbo-Visma) + 1″

3 – ROGLIC Primož (Jumbo-Visma) + 9″

4 – PEDERSEN Mads (Trek – Segafredo) + 29″

5 – COQUARD Bryan (Cofidis) + 33″

6 – LATOUR Pierre (Total Energies) + 33″

7 – ŠTYBAR Zdenek (Quick-Step) + 38″

8 – STUYVEN Jasper (Trek – Segafredo) + 39″

9 – VLASOV Aleksandr (BORA – hansgrohe) + 39″

10 – SÉNÉCHAL Florian (Quick-Step) + 39″