Tour de France 2019: Alaphilippe solos to maillot jaune

The 3rd stage on the Tour de France is a long race with a fantastic finale. Julian Alaphilippe goes solo on the steep Côte de Mutigny. In the last 16 kilometres he solos to victory and the yellow jersey. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage Tour de France 2019

1. Julian Alaphilippe (fra)
2. Michael Matthews (aus) + 0.26
3. Jasper Stuyven (bel) s.t.
4. Greg Van Avermaet (bel) s.t.
5. Peter Sagan (svk) s.t.
6. Matteo Trentin (ita) s.t.
7. Sonny Colbrelli (ita) s.t.
8. Xandro Meurisse (bel) s.t.
9. Wout Van Aert (bel) s.t.
10. Thibaut Pinot (fra) s.t.

11. Tiesj Benoot (bel) s.t.
12. Egan Bernal (col) s.t.
13. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 0.31
14. Jakob Fuglsang (den) s.t.
16. Romain Bardet (fra) s.t.
17. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) s.t.
20. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
21. Rigoberto Uran (col) s.t.
23. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) s.t.
25. Adam Yates (gbr) s.t.
28. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) s.t.
29. Mikel Landa (spa) s.t.
31. Daniel Martin (irl) s.t.
35. Nairo Quintana (col) s.t.
37. Richie Porte (aus) s.t.
38. Enric Mas (spa) s.t.
43. Tejay van Garderen (usa) s.t.
80. Mike Teunissen (nld) + 4.54

GC after stage 3
1. Julian Alaphilippe (fra)
2. Wout Van Aert (bel) + 0.20
3. Steven Kruijswijk (nld) + 0.25
4. George Bennett (nzl) s.t.
5. Michael Matthews (aus) + 0.40
6. Egan Bernal (col) s.t.
7. Geraint Thomas (gbr) + 0.45
8. Enric Mas (spa) + 0.46
9. Greg Van Avermaet (bel) + 0.51
10. Wilco Kelderman (nld) s.t.

11. Michael Woods (can) s.t.
12. Thibaut Pinot (fra) + 0.52
13 Rigoberto Uran (col) s.t.
14. Tejay van Garderen (usa) s.t.
21. Vincenzo Nibali (ita) + 1.01
22. Adam Yates (gbr) + 1.06
25. Jakob Fuglsang (den) s.t.
32. Emanuel Buchmann (ger) + 1.11
36. Tiesj Benoot (bel) + 1.19
38. Daniel Martin (irl) + 1.28
41. Nairo Quintana (col) + 1.30
43. Mikel Landa (spa) s.t.
48. Richie Porte (aus) + 1.43
51. Romain Bardet (fra) + 1.44

Race report
Tim Wellens, Yoann Offredo, Stéphane Rossetto, Paul Ourselin and Anthony Delaplace jump clear at kilometre 7 to open up a gap of six minutes

Tim Wellens heads out alone with almost 50 kilometres remaining when the lead has fallen to 2 minutes. He widens the gap to 2.40 minutes before it starts to come down gradually.

The Flemish rider takes maximum KOM points at Côte d’Hautvillers and Côte de Nanteuil-la-Forêt. A lot of sprinters, with Caleb Ewan most notable, lose contact on that last climb.

Wellens also does a clean sweep on Côte de Champillon, thus taking the polka dot jersey. Maillot jaune Mike Teunissen is struggling in the peloton, but manages to hold on.

Alaphilippe jumps to the front on the Côte de Mutigny, although Wellens takes most KOM points again. The Frenchman goes solo in the descent. On the lower slopes, Teunissen loses contact, while Michael Woods is the third rider over the Mutigny. He pushes on with Alexey Lutsenko, Mikel Landa and Maximilian Schachmann, but the peloton brings them back.

Meanwhile, Alaphilippe is flying and he opens up a gap of 50 seconds. It comes down gradually in the final kilometres, but he savours the victory in Champagne town Épernay. As a bonus, the Frenchman is the new leader on the Tour de France.

Most GC riders lose contact with the main group in the uphill sprint to the line, except Thibaut Pinot and Egan Bernal. So the duo gains 5 seconds on their rivals.

Another interesting read: route 3rd stage 2019 Tour de France.