The 21-year-old Grand Tour debutant is on the podium after three days.
Persistent rain greeted the riders as they assembled for stage 3, one of two halves: a completely flat first part, followed by some short and sharp climbs stacked in the last 77 kilometers after the intermediate sprint in Canelli. A break went from the gun, and while the peloton just sat up and decided to take it easy, the eight men at the front worked well together, building a hefty gap of around seven minutes.
As the kilometers ticked down, several teams joined hands and started a furious chase, shaving off a good chunk of the escapees’ advantage, who by the time they entered the last 40 kilometers had a lead of only two minutes. It looked like a formality for the bunch, but somehow things became more complicated along the way and Taco van der Hoorn (Intermarche-Wanty Gobert) managed to hold them off in Canale.
For Deceuninck – Quick-Step, it was another quiet day in the saddle, but it still brought some good news. With some of the riders in the general classification losing contact over the ascents, Remco Evenepoel moved a place in the standings. The young Belgian is now third overall, just 20 seconds off the lead, ahead of the race’s first mountain stage, which promises to deliver fireworks and gaps between the pink jersey contenders.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele / Getty Images
