Canada Day’s stage of the 111th Tour de France poured the maple syrup of sweet victory on Biniam Girmay, the first Eritrean and the first Intermarché-Wanty rider to earn a Tour win. By finishing 24 spots ahead of Tadej Pogačar, Richard Carapaz assumes the yellow jersey, although the two are equal on time. Derek Gee was top Canadian in 23rd.
The Course
The final full day in Italy was a very long one at 230 km. Although there were three Cat. 4 climbs, this trio really wasn’t enough to stop the conclusion from being the first bunch sprint in Turin. Would that winner be French too?
We are in Piacenza for the start of the longest #TDF2024 stage, a flat one which will take us to Torino, after 230.8 kilometers. pic.twitter.com/cwMCx1HI0O
— Soudal Quick-Step Pro Cycling Team (@soudalquickstep) July 1, 2024
Another question was, could anybody budge Jonas Abrahamsen from the green jersey? His polka dot jersey was on loan to Valentin Madouas.
No one bothered to break away for the day. Abrahamsen snaffled up the KOM point at the first Cat. 4 and Mads Pedersen won the intermediate sprint in Alexandrie. Perhaps bored, Matteo Sobrero took the KOM point atop Côte de Barbaresco. A French rider, Fabien Grellier of TotalEnergies, split from the program and ate the point on offer at Côte de Sommariva Perno, Monday’s final climb.
Grellier was swept up with 28.5 km to go. It was nervous stuff heading towards Turin. Casper Pedersen crashed with 14 km to go and left tattered. A mechanical for world champion Mathieu van der Poel meant that he wouldn’t be able to lead out Jasper Philipsen. Richard Carapaz and Remco Evenepoel, even on time with Pogačar, were interested in finishing far enough ahead of the Slovenian to take the yellow jersey.
A crash with 2.8 km to go delayed most of the peloton. Only about 40 riders contested the win. Girmay chose a narrow route along the right-hand barrier and outsprinted Fernando Gaviria and Arnaud de Lie.
Carapaz’s vying for the jersey worked; the crash with 2.8 km to go aided his bid.
Tuesday’s first day in France heads straight into the Alps for three climbs over 139 km. The last ascent is the mighty HC-rated Col du Galibier, long but not particularly steep, cresting 20 km from the line in Valloire.
2024 Tour de France Stage 3
1) Biniam Girmay (Eritrea/Intermarché-Wanty) 5:26:48
2) Fernando Gaviria (Colombia/Movistar) s.t.
3) Arnaud de Lie (Belgium/Lotto-Dstny) s.t.
23) Derek Gee…
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