Tour du Limousin 2015 Stage 3

photo credit @ Tour de Limousin

Rudy Molard (Cofidis) claimed stage 3 of this year’s Tour du Limousin today, after emerging victorious in a 9-rider sprint finale that managed to hold-off the rest of peloton during today’s hilly 185.9 kilometer stage from Saint-Dizier-Leyrenne to Aigurande.

Indeed, the French rider beat Florian Vachon (Bretagne) and Julien Antomarchi (Roubaix), in a mad dash for the line, while Jesus Herrada (Movistar) succeeded in defending his overall lead, after following in the main field in 30th place – at four seconds back. 

Race Highlights

A 9-rider breakaway group eventually got underway during today’s frantic start to the race. 

From there, the escapees for the most part remained together and out front for the duration of today’s stage. 

Only two of the original escapees were dropped along today’s stage, however, during the final 2 kilometers, Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) and Quentin Pacher (Armee) managed to bridge their way to the lead group – once again restoring it to a 9-rider breakaway. 

As the race headed into the final kilometer, despite holding only a mere 10 second advantage over the chase, the escapees managed to hold-off a charging peloton right to the line, with Molard taking the sprint victory. 

C'est @Rudymolard (@TeamCOFIDIS) qui remporte l'étape d'aujourd'hui. #tourdulimousin #TDL2015 pic.twitter.com/QvWQVIgmft

— Tour du Limousin (@tourdulimousin) August 20, 2015

Top 20 Finishers 

1 Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 4:24:51
2 Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne – Séché Environnement
3 Julien Antomarchi (Fra) Roubaix RLM Lille Métropole
4 Quentin Pacher (Fra) E.C. Armée de Terre
5 Hubert Dupont (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
6 Giacomo Berlato (Ita) Nippo – Vini Fantini
7 Adrian Honkisz (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
8 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits
9 Clément Saint Martin (Fra) Team Marseille 13 KTM 0:00:04
10 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF
11 Simone Ponzi (Ita) Southeast
12 Anthony Roux (Fra) FDJ
13 Steven Tronet (Fra) Auber 99
14 Raymond Kreder (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton
15 Andrea Fedi (Ita) Southeast
16 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
17 Carlos Antonio Jimenez (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA
18 Timothy Dupont (Bel) Roubaix RLM Lille Métropole
19 Armindo Fonseca (Fra) Bretagne – Séché Environnement
20 Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Team Marseille 13 KTM

General classification after stage 3

1 Jesus Herrada (Esp) Movistar Team 13:53:47
2 Rudy Molard (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 0:00:01
3 Florian Vachon (Fra) Bretagne – Séché Environnement 0:00:05
4 Sonny Colbrelli (Ita) Bardiani CSF 0:00:07
5 Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Crédits 0:00:11
6 Andrea Pasqualon (Ita) Roth – Skoda 0:00:12
7 Guillaume Bonnafond (Fra) AG2R la Mondiale
8 Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Sprandi Polkowice 0:00:14
9 Thomas Sprengers (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise 0:00:16
10 Quentin Pacher (Fra) E.C. Armée de Terre
11 Guillaume Levarlet (Fra) Auber 97
12 Clément Saint Martin (Fra) Team Marseille 13 KTM 0:00:18
13 Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton 0:00:19
14 Eduard Prades (Esp) Caja Rural – Seguros RGA 0:00:20
15 Steven Tronet (Fra) Auber 99
16 Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Roubaix RLM Lille Métropole
17 Gijs Van Hoecke (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
18 Maciej Paterski (Pol) CCC Sprandi Polkowice
19 Brice Feillu (Fra) Bretagne – Séché Environnement
20 Michel Kreder (Ned) Roompot Oranje Peloton