Adam Blythe (OmegaPharma-Lotto) won the third stage of the Circuit Franco-Belge between Hazebrouck, France and Ichtegem, Belgium as the race finished in another bunch sprint. The young Briton beat Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) into second place and Denis Galimzyanov (Katusha) into third at the end of the rainy 158km stage.
In the first hour of the race the pace set was so high that no breakaways were possible; it did have the effect of breaking the peloton into three pieces though, but it reformed soon afterwards.
Eventually though, the inevitable break happened with Nico Sijmens (Cofidis), Johan Coenen (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator), Sébastien Delfosse (Landbouwkrediet), Robin Chaigneau (Skil-Shimano) and Rob Ruygh (Vacansoleil) getting away.
With 35km to go, with the group 2’25” ahead, Delfosse and Chaigneau were dropped by the other three and they were quickly absorbed back into the peloton. 15km later, what was now a leading trio saw its lead slashed in half, mostly under the impetus of the Liquigas-Doimo team of race leader Jacopo Guarnieri.
Sijmens, who’d started the attack, tried several times to get away from the other two as the peloton was bearing down on them; Ruygh refused to let him go though, but Coenen managed to escape them.
With 10km to go the three riders were all back in the peloton and the high speed had the dual effect of preventing any further attacks and dropping a number of riders out the back.
At the finish Guarnieri was set up by his team, Galimzyanov went past him, but it was Blythe who came out on top.
Having been robbed of the leader’s jersey on his 21st birthday yesterday, 10 seconds bonus on the line meant Blythe took it back.
Result stage 3
1. Adam Blythe (GBr) OmegaPharma-Lotto
2. Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Quick Step
3. Denis Galimzyanov (Rus) Team Katusha
4. Gert Steegmans (Bel) Team RadioShack
5. jimmy Casper (Fra) Saur-Sojasun
6. Kenny Van Hummel (Ned) Skil-Shimano
7. Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Transitions
8. Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) FDJ
9. Kristof Goddaert (Bel) AG2R-La Mondiale
10. Adrien Petit (Fra) Cofidis
Standings after stage 3
1. Adam Blythe (GBr) OmegaPharma-Lotto
2. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas-Doimo @ 8s
3. Sep Vanmarcke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator @ 11s
4. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil
5. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram @ 12s