SONDERBORG, Denmark — Dutchman Dylan Groenewegen caught up Wout van Aert and Peter Sagan on the line to win the third stage of the Tour de France in a photo finish, as Van Aert extended his overall lead on Sunday.
Groenewegen came behind the record seven-time Tour sprint champion Sagan’s wheel when he battled Van Aert, finding an opening to squeeze through and push his wheel over the line to win for the BikeExchange-Jayco team.
Fifth Tour stage victory Groenewegen a day later Fabio Jakobsen‘s first. Two years ago, Groenewegen was blamed for a serious crash at the Tour of Poland that left Jakobsen flying through roadside crash barriers. Jakobsen was placed in an artificial coma and had to undergo five hours of surgery on his skull and face.
Sagan was angry with Van Aert, muttering angrily and wagging his finger at him after they crossed the line for noticing that he was on the right-hand side and close to the barriers. But there was no contact and Sagan even seemed to lean on Van Aert.
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Van Aert took a six-second bonus and is now seven seconds ahead Yves Lampaert and 14 ahead of two-time defending champions Tadej Pogacar in the standings. Pogacar .’s rival Primoz Roglicithe second Tour winner of 2020, is seventh in the general classification and was nine seconds behind Pogacar.
The stage started in Vejle on the Jutland peninsula and finished in Sonderborg in southern Denmark after 113 miles of flat racing. Groenewegen’s winning time was 4 hours, 11 minutes, 33 seconds.
Van Aert wore the leader’s jersey for the Jumbo-Visma team after he took it for the first time that Saturday.
Huge crowds filled the roadsides in sparkling sunshine as the Danish supporters in red and white came into force. Proudly the polka dot jersey of the best climber he claimed on Saturday, Danish rider Magnus Cortwho was in the early breakaway group on Saturday, pulled away to take the lead solo for 130 kilometers before being caught with about 50 kilometers to go.
Cort took more points over the three small climbs – including the Hejlsminde Strand, the lowest of which at 40 meters above sea level – to keep the jersey until Tuesday. He held up three fingers to celebrate with his home fans, then waved to them after the pack swallowed him.
Several riders fell onto a cobblestone section with about 10 kilometers to go, but got back up to continue.
After a day of travel, the riders will tackle five small climbs on the route from the coastal town of Dunkirk to Calais.
The race ends on July 24 in Paris.
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Dylan Groenewegen wins 3rd stage of the Tour de France; Peter Sagan angry originally appeared on NBCSports.com