Tour de Yorkshire 2016: Stage 3

By
published

January 1 - May 1, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, Road - 2.1

Refresh

Hello and welcome to our live coverage from the final stage of the Tour de Yorkshire.

 

Hello and welcome to the final stage coverage from the 2016 Tour de Yorkshire. To bring you up to speed we have 195km remaining and already a group of around 10 riders clear as we head south along the route.

There's not  huge amount of information yet on the riders in the break but we can spot that Nathan Haas is there for Dimension Data. The race is wide open heading into the final stage and with several categorised climbs on the menu the GC is there for the taking.

 The leading group have 21 seconds as Pete Williams tries to bridge the gap. That, however, has forced the peloton into action with Giant helping to shut down the counter attack.

 It's Team Sky who then take up the pace-setting duties. They came into the stage planning on setting up Roche or Nordhaug for the overall win. The Norwegian won the overall last year. The break have 19 seconds but it looks like the peloton have sat up.

The riders in the break are: Holohan, Haas, Chetout, Opie, Haller, Cronshaw, Van der Lijke, Farazijn Cullaigh and Wilkinson.

A reminder of where we stand on GC heading into the race:


1 Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) Team LottoNl-Jumbo 8:13:15
2 Danny Van Poppel (Ned) Team Sky 0:00:06
3 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Team Giant-Alpecin 0:00:08
4 Caleb Ewan (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge 0:00:10
5 Stijn Steels (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
6 Gruffudd Lewis (GBr) Madison Genesis 0:00:12
7 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits 0:00:13
8 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Direct Energie 0:00:14
9 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data 0:00:15
10 Richard Handley (GBr) ONE Pro Cycling

Weather update: A slight cross wind but it is raining, as it has been for much of the last two days. Lotto NL are on the front protecting the leader's jersey as the break establish a one minute lead. There are a few passengers in the move and that might be an issue for those willing to work. It's certainly playing into Team Sky's hands though, as they wanted a tough race. 

Riders continue to skip turns in the break but the gap continues to move out to 1'39 with 177km to go.

Voeckler is near the front at the moment. I spoke to the Frenchman at the end of stage 2 and he talked about his future, the weather in Yorkshire and the Tour. You can find the story, just here.

The ten riders have moved the gap out to 2'14 with NFTO and LottoNL leading the peloton as we head towards the first sprint of the day. 

NFTO remain on the front of the peloton. The UK domestic team have been on the front foot during the race with Joshua Edmondson. They've missed the break today but working hard at the moment.

Taking a look around the world of cycling the highlights from Romandie are worth the effort of watching. Froome won the stage, Quintana has the overall almost done and dusted. The video highlights are just here.

Here in Yorkshire, Cummings is sitting on the back of the bunch. The 35-year-old has had the best start to a season of his career and is only 16 seconds down on GC. The profile here really suits him and with a teammate in the break, Haas, the British rider can sit back for now and wait for the climbs.

Of course the race is missing Bradley Wiggins. The Tour de France winner pulled out on stage 1. He will return to racing at the Tour of California later this month and is going to have a training camp in the US in the build up to the race. He wasn't talking on stage 1, his press team unwilling to let him talk about the Sutton situation and British Cycling. California is a race that Wiggins has won before and with a time trial, he could test out his TT form.

159km remaining from 196km

If you'd like to watch another video, then here's our top 10 riders to watch in the Giro d'Italia. The race starts in less than a week.

Adam Yates moves up inside the peloton. The British rider has been wrapped in cotton wool by his team over the last few days after news broke that his brother, Simon, had failed a doping test. Adam, though, is a rider who could animate the stage later today.

Haas has a wheel change and is now forced to chase back to the break. The gap is holding around 1'52 with 146km to go. We're about to hit the first sprint of the day and then soon after the first climb, Sutton Bank.

Back to Romandie and Froome has spoken after his win yesterday. Despite the stage win it's not been a great race for the British team. 

Haas takes the three seconds at the intermediate sprint. He's now 13 seconds down on GC but he has a bike change after a second rear wheel puncture in the last few minutes. 

The riders can see Sutton Bank in the distance. It's the first, first cat climb of the race so far.

Cummings is still sitting on the back of the peloton as the gap to the break moves out to two minutes. 

The break are climbing now as the gradient hits 25 per cent. The road will level out soon before kicking up once more over the 1.4km climb. 

Wilkinson is starting to lose ground on the climb as all the riders move out of the saddle almost in unison. 

And now on the next section of the climb Haas pushes the pace and the break splits apart, all over the road.

We have four riders with Haas as a few more riders try and make content of what's left from the break.

Haas leads over the summit and looks back. He will surely wait for a few more riders before starting the descent.

Back down the climb and Sky and NFTO lead the peloton, who are 1'42 down on the break.

On the descent of the climb and all but Wilkinson make it back to the front group. The GB rider has since been caught by the peloton with 126km to go.

The bunch have come back together after Sutton Bank. There are still five more categorised climbs to come within the final 110km of the stage.

Andy Fenn has now moved up to the front of the peloton and started to set the pace. The gap to the leaders is 1'12 with 114km to go.

The break are just a few minutes from the next climb, Blakey Ridge. It's a cat 2 and the second climb of the day. The break has held at 1'12 with 106km to go. 

Orica have started to move up at the front of the peloton as they look to protect Adam Yates. The climb is 5.2km in length but nothing like Sutton Bank in terms of pitch. They're working well together now as they enter the second half of the stage. 

The bunch hit the climb too and there are already a few men slipping back due to the pace setting at the front. NFTO are still flying the domestic flag by working on the front.

And it's Direct Energy who attack from the peloton. Three men have slipped clear. Richard Handley is there, and he's the KOM leader. He clearly thinks that he can catch the break and then defend his lead in the KOM competition. 

The break have just 49 seconds on the chase. 104km to go and it's been a real war of attrition so far in the race.

The Richard Handley group have caught the leaders. That's an impressive ride from the One Pro Rider man, who also has a teammate in the break. 

Richard Handley attacks but Haas goes with him and takes the points at the top of the climb. Haas is gunning for the KOM and is now level on points with the One Pro rider.

Haas isn't waiting and is pushing on alone.

Haas has been brought back by the break, who have just 59 seconds on the descent of the climb. They have a tailwind and that will help them as they race towards the next climb. 

It's Sky who lead the peloton now with Fenn and Kennaugh just behind him.

Over in the Tour de Romandie, Quintana has sealed the overall win, and Albasini has won the final stage. Results, photos and report, right here.

And Team Sky are pushing on once more at the front of the peloton and with 79km to go the race is wide open. The leaders have just 21 seconds. 

Voeckler is trying to bridge over to the Team Sky led group but the British team have torn the stage apart. The race leader has been dropped as Kennaugh hits the front.

Sky have numbers here too with Nordhaug and Roche in the mix. The early break has been caught and it's race on with 76km to go. 

The peloton are on a fast, technical descent as we head towards Grosmont.

Kennaugh keeps the pace high and has even created a gap on his own.

Adam Yates is around fourth wheel as Kennaugh sits up and waits for the peloton. 

Kennaugh continues to push the pace at the front of the race. He's been on the front, alone, for around 10km as they know climb Grosmont.

The peloton are down to around 40-50 riders but that number will drop further by the time they crest this first cat climb. 

Handley has been dropped from the group, so he won't take any points at the top of the climb to help consolidate his lead.

Over the top of the climb and there are cross winds and Team Sky have taken advantage. There are three main groups now.

It looks like Sky have three men there. Yates, Kruijswijk too.

Pauwels is there as well for Dimension Data but Team Sky have the numbers. The race takes a left hand turn and now the riders have a strong tailwind. It's going to be incredibly hard for dropped riders to come back from this point.

A few more riders have bridged up to the leading group with 56km to go. Kennaugh and Rowe are leading and setting the pace.

BMC are dragging a large group back up and we have about 30 riders at the front of the action.

Rohan Dennis is there. He was caught out in the cross winds but has made it back.

An important intermediate sprint is coming up with three seconds available. 

Moscon moves up to the front with Kennaugh's job done. The Italian takes the three seconds at the intermediate and it's created a break with three Sky riders in there.

Three Sky riders and one from Cofidis lead with 52km to go.

That move has been caught though so it's all back together. Rowe will take over for Sky as there's a brief lull in the action.

We're approaching the climb of Robin Hood's Bay, the final 1st cat climb of the stage. 

Kennaugh back on the front now with 45km to go. The climb is less than 3km away. We've less than 25 riders in the lead group.

That's it from Kennaugh and now Rowe takes over. There are still three more Sky riders in the lead group as we start to climb once more.

And there's an attack from Pauwels. 

Rowe cracks and it's Moscon who must chase.

Down to 15 riders in the group as Dennis, Voeckler and Van den Broeck all struggle but hang on.

42km remaining from 196km

Juul Jenson, Arndt are also in the lead group, and Arndt is the virtual leader on the road. He's the fastest rider in the lead group too. 

With strength in numbers it's still Team Sky who are driving the place along as a few more riders are able to make it back to the front after that last climb. 

29km remaining from 196km

It's only  1km long climb as we see Rowe drop off the back. Moscon leads but they need to attack as they're not going to crack Arndt in this fashion.

And Roche has attacked with 28km to go. Yates is on his wheel.

It's not split the field instantly but the pair are slowly pulling away.

It's Pauwels who is trying to bring the pair back together.

Over the top and Yates and Roche need to keep the pressure on. Kruijswijk is trying his best to chase.

The Lotto rider makes it three leaders. Roche, Yates and Kruijswijk. Who can chase this down?

Voeckler and Turgis are now trying to bridge up.

If Turgis makes it to the lead group that's dangerous because he's the best placed rider on GC.

The French duo are not able to catch the three leaders. 

Voeckler and Turgis are coming back though, they have the leaders at 8 seconds with 19.1km to go.

We have five leaders, Roche, Turgis, Yates, Kruijswijk, Voeckler. Arndt is chasing on his own and is at less than 20 seconds back. That means the leading have to work if they're to win this race on GC. 

14km remaining from 196km

The five leaders are working well together and if it stays together Turgis as the advantage. He's one second clear of Voeckler in GC with the rest of the riders three seconds back.

The gap to Arndt has gone out to 32 seconds and he's being forced to ride on his own. The rest of the field are at 1'03 so it really looks like the leading five will decide the outcome of the stage and the overall in the race.

800m of climbing for the five leaders, who are still sharing the pace. Yates is only watching Roche for now.

6km remaining from 196km

Now Turgis takes over. They're all on the limit and it's Roche who takes over.

It's a slow move and it just strings them all out.

Voeckler sits at the back of group as the pace slows once more.

And Roche attacks again. This a bigger move and Turgis goes with him.

Kruijswijk has cracked. 

Over the top and Roche has a slight gap on Turgis, Yates and Voeckler. 6km to go.

Back down the road Nordhaug and Moscon have dropped the rest of the field.

On the descent and Voeckler is about to catch Roche. 5km to go.

Roche sees Voeckler and the pair link up with 4.3km to go. The Frenchman tries to move on the right and the pair start to share the work. 

Now Voeckler sits on the back before taking the shortest possible turn with 2.6km to go.

If either win the stage, they win the race. It's that simple.

2km to go an Voeckler is starting to play games as they look back to see the chasing trio. They can't wait for Turgis. 1.6km to go.

Roche wisely takes over and leads the Frenchman. The chase is at 5 seconds. 1km to go.

Voeckler senses danger and takes a turn. 

The chasers are at four seconds. Roche leads and Voeckler is going to just sit there.

These two will decide the race.

Voeckler goes for the sprint first.

Roche tries to respond.

But Voeckler takes the win. Roche can't drag him back. The Frenchman's experience was key there with a surprise move from a long way out.

Voeckler takes the overall too after that win.

Here's what Voeckler said before the stage:

“It’s not so easy with the rain here. Sometimes the sun is out but then it’s raining and it’s a little bit dangerous with the weather when you’re trying to change in and out of your rain jacket during the stage. I’m just staying safe at the moment and not taking any risks.”

Voeckler is now on the podium and pulling on the leader's jersey. That's his second stage race of the year, in fact. A very impressive ride from the Direct Energy rider.

Here are the top ten for the stage:

And the final overall:


# Rider Name (Country) Team Result
1 Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Direct Energie 13:05:16
2 Nicolas Roche (Irl) Team Sky 0:00:06
3 Anthony Turgis (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 0:00:16
4 Adam Yates (GBr) Orica GreenEDGE 0:00:17
5 Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Team LottoNL - Jumbo 0:00:21
6 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Team Sky 0:00:52
7 Gianni Moscon(Ita) Team Sky 0:00:53
8 Nikias Arndt (Den) Team Giant - Alpecin 0:01:13
9 Serge Pauwels (Bel) Dimension Data 0:01:20
10 Dion Smith (NZl) One pro Cycling 0:01:21

Thanks for joining us today. You can find our results, report and images. right here.

Latest on Cyclingnews