Michael Storer (Groupama-FDJ) used a dominant performance to earn a solo victory on stage 3 of Tour de l’Ain. The Australian distanced everyone on the uphill finish of the final stage and won the overall title.
Kenny Elissonde (Lidl-Trek) fell off Storer’s late attack and finished second, 2:02 back. Lilian Calmejane (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) sprinted to third in the chase group for third, 2:30 back.
With 26.3km, Storer attacked from the front of the race and Elissonde was the only rider to match the acceleration. Storer then set off alone to the finish to pick up the 10 bonus seconds and seal the GC as previous race leader Jefferson Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost) was isolated and struggled on seventh and final categorised climb with 25km to go.
Cepeda fell out of the top 10 as Storer, who was tied on time with the EF Education rider entering the final stage, secured the GC by 2:22 over Elissonde, who moved up one spot. Nicolas Prodhomme (AG2R Citroën) was third.
Adding to the difficulty of the intense day of 137km with seven classified climbs across the Jura mountains were gusty winds.
Groupama-FDJ took control at the front of the peloton on the penultimate climb in pursuit of the five-rider breakaway.
The breakaway of five got away early and opened a gap of 2:45 with 87km to go – Lilian Calmejane (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty), Clément Venturini (AG2r-Citroën), Pierre-Luc Périchon (Cofidis), Dries Van Gestel (TotalEnergies) and Théo Delacroix (St Michel-Mavic-Auber93). The last survivor of the early breakaway, Calemjane, was swept up with 41km to go.
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