Tour de France 2021
Merlier takes Stage 3 as chaos ensues
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Belgian and Alpecin-Fenix rider Tim Merlier wins a stage at the Tour de France for the first time.
PONTIVY (France) • Belgian Tim Merlier yesterday won the third stage of the Tour de France, a 182.9km ride from Lorient to Pontivy, as two of the favourites to win the race, Geraint Thomas and Primoz Roglic, suffered heavy crashes.
The Alpecin-Fenix rider led a team one-two ahead of compatriot Jasper Philipsen in a crash-marred sprint that saw pre-stage favourite Caleb Ewan of Australia hit the deck in the final metres.
France's Nacer Bouhanni came home third in a race that Eurosport commentators dubbed "one of the most chaotic days we have ever seen at the Tour de France".
The rain-slick, narrow, winding roads in Brittany proved to be a nightmare for many.
Slovenian Roglic, who finished second in Paris last year, crossed the line one minute and 21 seconds off the pace after falling heavily on his left side with 10km left, leaving visible bruising on the reigning Vuelta a Espana winner.
Compatriot and defending champion Tadej Pogacar ended 26 seconds behind the stage winner after being involved in a separate crash.
Ineos Grenadiers leader Thomas had the worst injury, dislocating his left shoulder in a hard fall and doctors had to pop it back in before he could resume racing.
The Welshman, 2018 champion and 2019 runner-up, recovered to finish 26sec behind Merlier.
"I'm living a dream, I think. After the Giro (d'Italia, where he won a stage last month), I was already very happy, but now to win a stage at the Tour, the biggest race in the world. I can't believe it," Merlier said after his maiden victory.
"I looked back and I couldn't believe it, there was nobody else on my wheel."
Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel retained the overall leader's yellow jersey, with Julian Alaphilippe of France, the first-stage winner, in second, 8sec behind, and Richard Carapaz moving up to third.
Authorities remain on the hunt for the unidentified woman who caused a massive pile-up during the opening stage of the race on Saturday after displaying a banner in the path of the peloton.
According to French publication Ouest-France, the woman, who is believed to be German, boarded a flight shortly after disappearing from the scene of the carnage and remains untraceable.
REUTERS
