Stage 3: Liancourt - Verneuil (180km)
A duo hold off the peloton as Van Vooren retains overnight lead. Australian Champion Peter McDonald loses KOM jersey.

In warm conditions, stage 3 took the riders from Liancourt to Verneuil. Latvian Aleksejs Saramotins (Designa Kokken) easily outsprinted breakaway companion Jonathan Thire (Auber 93) to record his second win of the season.

The stage today was a tough one for the riders. With six climbs in the day, two Category 1 and four Category 2, the peloton was in for a long day. Within the first 10km, a break of four jumped the peloton and quickly had a lead of over 4 minutes. Aleksejs Saramotins (Designa Kokken), Jonathan Thire (Auber 93), Clement Mas and Clement Penven (Both CC Villeneuve) were in the break. With two riders from the same team there, the odds were against Saramotins and Thire.

Knowing that Mas and Penven were a threat to them, Thire and Saramotins broke clear and with the peloton hovering around the 5 minute mark with 70km to go, the odds for them staying away from the peloton increased. It was a game of cat and mouse towards the finish line with the peloton still over 2 minutes behind. Saramotins got the better of Thire to take the stage win. The peloton came in 2 minutes and 19 seconds behind with overall leader, Steven Van Vooren (An Post Sean Kelly) leading the peloton home picking up a vital 4 second time bonus which took his lead to 5 seconds over Frenchman Mederic Clain (St. Cyr Tours) and Jeremie Galland (Besson Chassures – Sojasun) a further 2 seconds behind.

Thire reigned supreme in the mountains today, gathering all the key KOM points and took the jersey away from Peter McDonald (Drapac Porsche) and now has an 8 point advantage. The Australian Champion held the jersey for the past two days and now has a tough job to.

Tomorrow’s final stage of 175 kilometres finishes in Nogent Sur Oise with the Drapac Porsche team gunning to finish the Tour off with a stage win. With such a small lead to Steven Van Vooren, we’re set for an explosive finale.

Drapac Porsche
Peter McDonald losing the KOM jersey.

A philosophical McDonald said at the end of today’s stage that there is still another stage tomorrow and loads of time to finish the Tour in the KOM jersey.

“I am only eight points behind and there are still plenty of chances for me to win back the jersey tomorrow,” said McDonald.

“As I said earlier this week my main goal is to win a stage so I will be out there tomorrow giving that my best shot. If I can win back the jersey at the same time then that will be a bonus.”

“In the final 20 kilometres the lead group had split and we had to work really hard to bring it back together,” explained Lewis and the end of the stage.

“I was actually trying to set up Deano (Dean Windsor) for the sprint but he was pushed off my wheel coming into the last hundred metres.”

STAGE 3 RESULTS
1 Aleksejs SARAMOTINS LAT TDK 27 4:19:54 8 8
2 Jonathan AUB THIRA FRA 23 4:19:54 5 5
3 Steven VOOREN VAN BEL SKT 23 4:20:13 2 2
4 Jeremiah GALLAND FRA 26 4:20:13 BCS
5 Jimmy CASPER BCS FRA 31 4:20:13
6 James VANLANDSCHOOT BEL WIL 31 4:20:13
7 FONDARD Romain FRA 25 4:20:13 PCW
8 HADDOU Nadir FRA AUB 26 4:20:13
9 Peter BROUZ FRA 23 4:20:13
10 DE JONGE Maarten NED 24 4:20:13
11 Alexis BODIOT FRA 21 4:20:13
12 Dean WINDSOR 23 4:20:13 AUS DPC
13 Anthony FRA 24 4:20:13 COLIN
14 Kasper DEN JEBJERG TDK 24 4:20:13
15 Geoffrey DERESMES FRA 24 4:20:13
16 Robert RETSCHKE GER CCD 29 4:20:13
17 Nicholas Walker 21 4:20:13 AUS CDU
18 Michael REIHER DEN TDK 30 4:20:13
19 SINNER Benoît FRA 25 4:20:13 BCS
20 DRESSLER Frank GER CCD 33 4:20:13
21 BAR Loïc FRA 25 4:20:13
22 Jean-Edouard FRA 24 4:20:13 ANTZ
23 Ronan RACAULT FRA 21 4:20:13
24 Médéric CLAIN FRA 33 4:20:13
25 Thomas WELTER FRA 20 4:20:13
26 Boris Zimin FRA 19 4:20:13
27 Georges SETTING FRA 26 4:20:13
28 Johan Mombaerts FRA 25 4:20:13 AUB
29 Damien FRA 27 4:20:13
30 Stephen Colletti PCW BEL 21 4:20:13
31 Gregory HABEAUX BEL WIL 27 4:20:13
32 BALDO Nicolas FRA CCD 25 4:20:13
33 René JOERGENSEN DEN TDK 34 4:20:13
34 Fabian Behague DEN 29 4:20:13
35 Davy COMMEYNE BEL 29 4:20:13
36 Loïc LE GALL FRA 23 4:20:13
37 Fabien FRA 21 4:20:13 LEBEAU
38 HARBONNIER Sebastien FRA CCD 25 4:20:13
39 MATHEOU Romain FRA 21 4:20:13 BCS
40 Tommy NANKERVIS AUS 26 4:20:13 CDU
41 Matt CDU GREEN GBR 21 4:20:13
42 Ryan NZL PCW WILLS 21 4:20:13
43 Fabio POLAZZI BEL 24 4:20:13 PCW
44 Hannes BLANK CCD 26 4:20:13
45 Niko EECKHOUT BEL 39 4:20:13 SKT
46 Nicolas BAZIN CCD 26 4:20:13
47 Romain CHAUDOY FRA 22 4:20:13
48 GILING Bastiaan NED TDK 27 4:20:13
49 GONNET Julien FRA 28 4:20:13
50 Allan JOHANSEN DEN TDK 38 4:20:13
51 Cénéric RACAULT FRA 27 4:20:13
52 Gil Suray RLM BEL 25 4:20:13
53 Renaud VINCENT FRA 20 4:20:13
54 Jan Ghyselinck BEL 21 4:20:13
55 Cédric GAOUA FRA 20 4:20:13
56 Tom SNAPE CDU 20 4:20:13
57 Jelle Wallays BEL 20 4:20:13
58 Colin MENC MOLINA FRA 25 4:20:13
59 Frédéric LUBACH FRA 28 4:20:13
60 Morgan CHEDHOMME FRA 24 4:20:13
61 Peter McDonald 31 4:20:13 AUS DPC
62 Kenny SKT LISABETH BEL 28 4:20:13
63 Thomas DEGAND BEL WIL 23 4:20:13
64 Antoine FOULDRIN FRA 21 4:20:13
65 Tony GALLOPIN FRA 21 4:20:13 AUB
66 GRACZYK Vincent FRA 25 4:20:13
67 Alexandre LEMAIR RLM 21 4:20:13
68 Delrot Bastien FRA RLM 23 4:20:13
69 Fabien FRA TAILLEFER RLM 20 4:20:13
70 ROGER Alexandre FRA 24 4:20:13
71 Mathieu CONVERSET FRA 22 4:20:13
72 Klaas SYS BEL 23 4:20:13
73 LEFRANÇOIS Olivier FRA 24 4:20:13
74 Niels BROUZ FRA 28 4:20:13 AUB
75 Mickael FRA LARP RLM 24 4:20:13
76 Florian MORIZOT FRA 24 4:20:31 BCS
77 Joseph Lewis 20 4:20:33 AUS DPC
78 AULAS Alexandre FRA 23 4:20:40
79 DRANCOURT Pierre FRA 27 4:20:48
80 ROBERT Maxime FRA 22 4:21:22
81 Hadell Kévin FRA 19 4:21:49
82 Thomas Rostollan FRA 23 4:23:23
83 LEJEUNE Georges Romain FRA 23 4:23:23
84 Fredrik Johansson SWE CSP 23 4:23:23
85 Rhys Pollock 29 4:24:31 AUS DPC
86 PENVEN Clement FRA 20 4:26:15
87 Alexander WETTERHALL SWE 23 4:26:31 CSP
88 Laurent PCW CARTON BEL 20 4:26:31
89 Filip RUDENSTAM SWE 22 4:26:31 CSP
90 Joseph LEMOINE FRA 27 4:26:31
91 Cédric BARRÉ FRA 27 4:26:31
92 MAS Clement FRA 27 4:26:31
93 François ROOSSENS BEL 28 4:26:31 PCW
94 BEAUDOIN Mathieu FRA 24 4:33:47
95 O'BRIEN Paidi IRL SKT 25 4:33:47
96 Cédric COLLAERS BEL WIL 22 4:33:47
97 Romain Zingle BEL WIL 22 4:33:47
98 Ronan MC LAUGHLIN SKT IRL 22 4:33:47
99 Nicolas BAÏOLET BEL WIL 26 4:33:47
100 PEETERS Jef BEL 31 4:33:47 SKT
101 Pip Grint DPC AUS 21 4:33:47
102 Daniel Furmston CDU AUS 25 4:36:50

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 Steven VOOREN VAN BEL SKT 23 10:57:05
2 Médéric CLAIN FRA 33 10:57:10
3 Jeremiah GALLAND FRA BCS 26 10:57:12
4 Michael REIHER DEN TDK 30 10:57:16
5 COLIN Anthony FRA 24 10:57:17
6 Johan Mombaerts AUB 25 10:57:17 FRA
7 BAZIN Nicolas FRA CCD 26 10:57:17
8 Peter McDonald AUS DPC 31 10:57:28
9 Nicholas WALKER AUS CDU 21 10:57:45
10 HADDOU Nadir FRA AUB 26 10:57:55
11 René JOERGENSEN DEN TDK 34 10:57:55
12 BALDO Nicolas FRA CCD 25 10:57:55
13 Allan JOHANSEN DEN TDK 38 10:57:55
14 Morgan CHEDHOMME FRA AUB 24 10:57:55
15 Colin MENC MOLINA 25 10:57:55 FRA
16 Hannes BLANK CCD 26 10:57:55
17 Thomas DEGAND BEL WIL 23 10:58:02
18 Tony GALLOPIN FRA AUB 21 10:58:09
19 Jimmy CASPER BCS 31 10:58:31 FRA
20 Kasper DEN JEBJERG TDK 24 10:58:42
21 SINNER Benoît FRA BCS 25 10:58:41
22 Peter BROUZ FRA 23 10:58:47
23 Aleksejs SARAMOTINS LAT TDK 27 10:58:55
24 Jonathan THIRA FRA AUB 23 10:58:57
25 HARBONNIER Sebastien FRA CCD 25 10:59:22
26 Matt GREEN GBR CDU 21 10:59:22
27 Jean-Edouard FRA 24 10:59:25 ANTZ
28 Ronan RACAULT FRA 21 10:59:25
29 DE JONGE Maarten NED 24 10:59:25
30 DRESSLER Frank GER CCD 33 10:59:25
31 Stephen Colletti BEL PCW 21 10:59:25
32 Robert RETSCHKE GER CCD 29 10:59:25
33 Georges SETTING FRA 26 10:59:25
34 Romain FONDARD 25 10:59:25
35 Thomas WELTER FRA 20 10:59:25
36 Kenny SKT LISABETH BEL 28 10:59:25
37 Ryan NZL WILLS PCW 21 10:59:25
38 GONNET Julien FRA 28 10:59:25
39 Loïc LE GALL FRA 23 10:59:25
40 Romain MATHEOU 21 10:59:25
41 Boris Zimin FRA 19 10:59:25
42 Cédric GAOUA FRA 20 10:59:25
43 Davy COMMEYNE BEL 29 10:59:25
44 Romain CHAUDOY FRA 22 10:59:25
45 Fabien FRA LEBEAU 21 10:59:25
46 Renaud VINCENT FRA 20 10:59:25
47 Fabio POLAZZI BEL PCW 24 10:59:25
48 Alexandre FRA LEMAIR RLM 21 10:59:25
49 Gil Suray RLM 25 10:59:25
50 Cénéric RACAULT FRA 27 10:59:25
51 Jan Ghyselinck BEL 21 10:59:25
52 Jelle Wallays BEL 20 10:59:25
53 Gregory HABEAUX BEL WIL 27 10:59:25
54 Fabien FRA TAILLEFER RLM 20 10:59:25
55 GILING Bastiaan NED TDK 27 10:59:25
56 Antoine FOULDRIN FRA 21 10:59:25
57 Niko EECKHOUT BEL SKT 39 10:59:25
58 Frédéric LUBACH FRA 28 10:59:25
59 Delrot Bastien FRA RLM 23 10:59:25
60 LEFRANÇOIS Olivier FRA 24 10:59:25
61 Klaas SYS BEL 23 10:59:25
62 Mathieu CONVERSET FRA 22 10:59:25
63 ROGER Alexandre FRA 24 10:59:25
64 Niels BROUZ FRA AUB 28 10:59:25
65 Mickael LARP RLM 24 10:59:25
66 Florian FRA BCS MORIZOT 24 10:59:43
67 James VANLANDSCHOOT BEL WIL 31 10:59:45
68 Dean AUS WINDSOR DPC 23 10:59:45
69 LEWIS Joseph AUS DPC 20 10:59:45
70 AULAS Alexandre FRA 23 10:59:52
71 DRANCOURT Pierre FRA 27 11:00:00
72 ROBERT Maxime FRA 22 11:00:34
73 Thomas FRA Rostollan 23 11:01:57
74 Alexander WETTERHALL SWE CSP 23 11:05:05
75 Fabian Behague DEN 29 11:05:11
76 Tommy NANKERVIS AUS CDU 26 11:05:14
77 Alexis BODIOT FRA 21 11:05:14
78 GRACZYK Vincent FRA 25 11:05:14
79 PENVEN Clement FRA 20 11:05:22
80 Cédric BARRÉ FRA 27 11:05:43
81 Damien FRA MAS 27 11:06:49
82 Clement FRA MAS 27 11:11:23
83 Laurent BEL PCW CARTON 20 11:11:26
84 Joseph LEMOINE FRA 27 11:11:32
85 BAR Loïc FRA 25 11:12:15
86 Geoffrey DERESMES FRA 24 11:12:15
87 Romain Zingle BEL WIL 22 11:12:59
88 O'BRIEN Paidi IRL SKT 25 11:12:59
89 PEETERS Jef BEL SKT 31 11:12:59
90 Pip Grint AUS DPC 21 11:12:59
91 Nicolas BAÏOLET BEL WIL 26 11:12:59
92 Rhys Pollock 29 11:13:46 AUS DPC
93 Fredrik Johansson SWE CSP 23 11:13:56
94 Filip SWE RUDENSTAM CSP 22 11:15:03
95 LEJEUNE Georges Romain FRA 23 11:15:25
96 Hadell Kévin FRA 19 11:17:20
97 Tom SNAPE CDU 20 11:19:32
98 François ROOSSENS BEL PCW 28 11:21:14
99 Ronan MC LAUGHLIN IRL SKT 22 11:22:31
100 Mathieu FRA BEAUDOIN 24 11:25:49
101 Cédric COLLAERS BEL WIL 22 11:28:30
102 Daniel Furmston AUS CDU 25 11:43:10

56th Ronde de l’Oise Stages
Stage 1: Crevecoeur Le Grand – Saint Leu D’Esserent (116.3 km)
Stage 2: Le Plessis Belleville - Throurotte (182km)

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