Davide Ballerini is our best placed rider in the overall standings.
The third day of the Belgian race had a bit of everything: four classified climbs, echelons that spiced things up in the final hour of the race and an uphill finish where multiple attacks came from those who were hoping to drop the fast men and take both the win and the bonus seconds that were on the line.
One of these daring attacks – just after a regrouping took place following some crosswinds that had split the peloton – came from Andrea Bagioli, who shot out of the reduced pack with five kilometers to go, putting almost ten seconds between him and the chasers. At one point, it looked like it might be enough for the Italian to hold off the peloton, but he got caught with just two kilometers to go, when the riders hit the steepest gradients of the hill.
Soudal Quick-Step didn’t lack options, and former French Champion Florian Sénéchal positioned himself perfectly going into the last corner, taking advantage of some confusion at the front of the peloton, right in the wheel of Timo Kielich (Alpecin-Deceuninck). This helped Florian to finish second in Mont-Saint-Guibert, just behind the Belgian, and make a spectacular jump in the general classification ahead of the individual time trial in Mons which could end up playing a major role in the final outcome.
Photo credit: ©Luc Claessen / Getty Images
