photo credit @ Cannonade-Garmin/Twitter
Tom-Jelte Slagter (Cannondale-Garmin) claimed stage 3 of the Tour of Alberta today, in a solo uphill sprint to the finish, while fellow Dutch rider, Bauke Mollema, took over the race lead based on his second place finish, along with time bonuses.
Race Highlights
Jasper Bovenhuis (Cannondale), Adam de Vos (H&R Block), Cesare Benedetti (Bora-Argon 18), Tom Zirbel (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies), Thomas Vaubourzeix (Lupus), and teammates Alex Cataford (Silber) and Benjamin Perry, came to form the day’s breakaway group. And, from there, the escapees went on to establish a three-minute advantage during the remaining 64 kilometers.
De Vos would later lose contact with this breakaway companions, due to a mechanical problem.
As the race headed into the final 24 kilometers, the breakaway’s lead had been reduced to just one minute.
With the peloton right at their backdoor, Zirbel and Bovenhuis decided to attack – subsequently jettisoning their breakaway companions.
On the final climb, it was Trek Factory Racing controlling the pursuit, with the hopes of setting up their man Mollema.
As the peloton worked their way up the initial slopes, Mollema’s teammate Laurent Didier went on the attack. There was no response from the riders behind, and Orica-GreenEdge stuck together in pursuit with Yates on their wheels.
Nate Brown (Cannondale-Garmin) and Kyle Murphy (Lupus Racing) bridged across to Didier. The second and final KOM of the day came with 12km to go, and Didier picked up full points over the first main peak of the final climb.
The breakaway trio descended out front but the field of roughly 50 riders was all back together ahead of the final five kilometres. Orica-GreenEdge, Katusha and Trek Factory Racing drag raced each other at the start of the final jaunt up hill.
With one kilometer remaining, Mollema attacked, followed by Michael Woods (Optum Pro Cycling).
However, the Canadian rider was quickly brought back by Slagter, who went on the offensive during the closing 200 meters, to hold off Mollema and seize the victory at the Miette Hot Springs.
Stage 3 Results NED 1 SLAGTER, Tom Jelte (TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN) 4:28:18 NED 2 MOLLEMA, Bauke (TREK FACTORY RACING) GBR 3 YATES, Adam (ORICA GreenEDGE) + 4 RUS 4 LAGUTIN, Sergey (KATUSHA) + 6 CAN 5 WOODS, Michael (OPTUM P/B KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES) + 9 NZL 6 SMITH, Dion (HINCAPIE RACING TEAM) + 11 NZL 7 ORAM, James (AXEON CYCLING TEAM) ITA 8 FORMOLO, Davide (TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN) + 13 SLO 9 SPILAK, Simon (KATUSHA) + 15 USA 10 HUFFMAN, Evan (TEAM SMARTSTOP) CAN 11 HESJEDAL, Ryder (TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN) + 17 USA 12 MANNION, Gavin (JELLY BELLY P/B MAXXIS) + 19 USA 13 HORNBECK, John (HINCAPIE RACING TEAM) + 22 AUS 14 MORTON, Lachlan David (JELLY BELLY P/B MAXXIS) DEN 15 HANSEN, Lasse Norman (TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN) + 24 LAT 16 SKUJINS, Toms (HINCAPIE RACING TEAM) GER 17 VOSS, Paul (BORA-ARGON 18) USA 18 MURPHY, Kyle (LUPUS RACING TEAM) + 28 AUS 19 LEWIS, Joseph (HINCAPIE RACING TEAM) LAT 20 FLAKSIS, Andzs (HINCAPIE RACING TEAM)
General Classification after Stage 3 NED 1 MOLLEMA, Bauke (TREK FACTORY RACING) 9:01:28 GBR 2 YATES, Adam (ORICA GreenEDGE) + 6 RUS 3 LAGUTIN, Sergey (KATUSHA) + 20 NED 4 SLAGTER, Tom Jelte (TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN) + 26 SLO 5 SPILAK, Simon (KATUSHA) + 29 NZL 6 SMITH, Dion (HINCAPIE RACING TEAM) + 43 ITA 7 FORMOLO, Davide (TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN) + 49 GER 8 VOSS, Paul (BORA-ARGON 18) + 53 RUS 9 ZAKARIN, Ilnur (KATUSHA) CAN 10 HESJEDAL, Ryder (TEAM CANNONDALE – GARMIN)
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