Cycling: Jan Barta (NetApp-Endura) and Jean-Marc Bideau (Bretagne-Seché Environment) dominated events at the front for large parts of the 155-kilometer third stage of the Tour de France. In the final, however, Marcel Kittel was in the lead.
Just a few kilometers after the start in Cambridge, Barta and Bideau broke away from the field and subsequently opened up a maximum lead of 4:40 minutes. This then leveled off at just under two minutes.
In the field, the Lotto Belisol team took over the team po in the final. By the time the field reached London, however, rain had set in and brought the favorite teams onto the scene. From then on, Astana and Tinkoff-Saxo led the field behind the duo.
With 10 kilometers to go, the duo had a lead of almost a minute. At this point it was already apparent that the Frenchman was at the end of his strength. Barta, meanwhile, fought back as best he could. However, with six kilometers to go, the signs were pointing to a sprint.
As expected, the men around Marcel Kittel (Giant-Shimano) took over the command. In front of Buckingham Pallace, the man from Arnstadt then had the fastest legs. From the front he drove his second stage win of this tour. Second place went to Peter Sagan (Cannondale), who defended the jersey of the driver with the best points. Third was Mark Renshaw (Omega Pharma-QuickStep).
There was no significant change in the overall rating. Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) continues to lead here.
