Omega Pharma - Quick-Step Cycling Team rider Gianni Meersman placed 9th in a technical final kilometer of racing at the 194km Stage 3 of Critérium du Dauphiné on Tuesday, as riders had to negotiate multiple curves and still organize their leadouts for the bunch sprint finale.
Nikias Arndt (Giant-Shimano) won the stage that was decided by bike throw, with several riders scrambling to the line across the road.
Kris Boeckmans (Lotto-Belisol) was 2nd, and Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Giant-Shimano) 3rd.
OPQS worked hard on the front as the race initially came back together with 23.5km to go. A breakaway of eight riders formed inside 20km to go, and the race came back together again with about 5.8km to go in the stage. OPQS kept control of the front at that point. Lieuwe Westra (Astana) launched a final attack with 4.2km to go, but he was also caught with 1.5km to go.
Michal Kwiatkowski is in 20th place in the GC, 2'37" back from current leader Chris Froome (Team Sky).
OPQS looks next to 169.5km medium mountain Stage 4, from Montélimar to Gap, on Wednesday. There are two categorized climbs: A Category 4 and a Category 2. The race descends after the Category 2 climb (Col de Manse). The final 5 kilometers are downhill, but flattens out inside the final kilometer.
