tuesday 06 March 2018 at 22h24
A stage for breakaway riders today in Paris-Nice 2018 and that's what we've seen, starting with a first breakaway right from the first kilometer and than, once this leading trio falls apart after an accelleration by Fabien Grellier (Direct Energie) in this group, a second leading trio got set up after the first crossing of the finish line, in the final circuit. This leading trio went on until the finish and battled for the stage win, taken by Jonathan Hivert (Direct Energie)!
The summary of the 3rd stage of Paris-Nice 2018: Bourges > Châtel-Guyon
Just before 11.30AM the race started in Bourges and right from the first kilometer, 3 riders got away from the peloton, more precisely Jay Thomson (Dimension Data), Fabien Grellier (Direct Energie) and Przemyslaw Kasperkiewicz (Delko Marseille Provence KTM). Very quickly, these breakaway riders managed to extend their gap, coming close to 7 minutes after about ten kilometers and it even goes up till a maximum of 7'15" a bit later. That's where the Groupama-FDJ team started to control the gap.On top of the first out of three climbs of the day, the Côte de la Bosse, the gap is however still 4'50" when Fabien Grellier takes the points. In the climb of the Côte des Boulards Grellier takes off, going to find the additional points for the king of the mountains classification. He gets on top 50 seconds ahead of his two previous breakaway companions, and 3'50" ahead of the peloton. When these last two are taken back, at 45 kilometers from the finish, his gap on the peloton still is 1'50", but before he crosses the finish line for the first time and thus before getting on the Côte de Charbonnières in the final circuit, the rider of the Direct Energie team is also taken back by the peloton.
The peloton thus arrives as a bunch on the final circuit but in the last climb, Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) decides to attack, joined by Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal). This attack didn't last long however because Jakob Fuglsang (Astana), chasing behind them, came back on them and went off alone. Jonathan Hivert (Direct Energie) joined him but the first favourites group which got away from the peloton takes them back again. After another attack by Remy Di Gregorio (Delko Marseille Provence KTM), Jonathan Hivert again closed the gap, and Luis Léon Sanchez (Astana) joined them as well and this turned out to be the last breakaway of the stage. At two kilometers from the finish and again under the red flag of the last kilometer, Di Gregorio tried to get away alone but his two breakaway companions didn't leave him the chance to really get off. In the final straight line a sprint among these 3 riders thus started, with Luis Léon Sanchez leading but the Spanish rider didn't manage to resist to Jonathan Hivert who took over and finally took the win quite easily!The classifications of Paris-Nice 2018 after the third stage
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The stage classification: Bourges > Châtel-Guyon
Here's the top 5 of today's stage:1/ Jonathan Hivert (Direct Energie) - 5h22'49"
2/ Luis León Sanchez (Astana Pro Team) - +0'01"
3/ Remy Di Gregorio (Delko Marseille Provence KTM)
4/ Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) - +0'38"
5/ Mike Teunissen (Team Sunweb)
The general classification
Arnaud Démare lost his yellow jersey with the white band of the general classification to Luis Léon Sanchez who's the new leader of the general classification:1/ Luis León Sanchez (Astana Pro Team) - 13h21'56"
2/ Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) - +0'28"
3/ Gorka Izagirre (Bahrain-Merida) - +0'35"
4/ Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Floors) - +0'38"
5/ Mike Teunissen (Team Sunweb) - +0'41"
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Points classification
Arnaud Démare keeps the lead of the points classification in which we see some changes in the top 5:1/ Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) - 31 points
2/ Mike Teunissen (Team Sunweb) - 17 points
3/ Jonathan Hivert (Direct Energie) - 16 points
4/ Dylan Groenewegen (Team Lotto NL-Jumbo) - 15 points
5/ André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) - 14 points
by Bernard over