Tour de France - report stage 3

A day featuring strong cross winds, heavy showers and a protest. Four riders went clear and went to the line to contest the sprint.

Samuel Dumoulin wins

Romain Feillu wears the yellow jersey

All pics fotoreporter sirotti

William Frischkorn (Garmin Chipotle), Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis), Romain Feillu (Agritubel) and Paolo Borghini (Barloworld) moved clear after a move instigated by Frischkorn.

With 70 kilometres to go they had over eight minutes on the rest. A potential problem was a protest on the road that could have disrupted the race, but didn't, but it did seem to give the four breakway's renewed vigour.

A crash and strong cross winds saw the main pack split into three echelons, with Dennis Menchov (Rabobank) and Riccardo Ricco (Saunier Duval) missing out in the second group and forced to chase.

Driving at the front Quick Step and the race whittled down the lead, but they couldn't catch the four ahead.

Coming to the line Dumoulin jumped away and was joined by Frischkorn, then the diminutive Feillu also bridged the gap leaving Borghini to take fourth.

Feillu was next to go and despite straining every muscle in his body he could not hold off Dumoulin who claimed the first French win of the 2008 Tour.

Feillu was not to go unrewarded as he is now the leader of the race.

1 Samuel Dumoulin 185 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 5h 05' 27"
2 William Frischkorn 194 Garmin Chipotle @ 00' 00"
3 Romain Feillu 124 Agritubel @ 00' 00"
4 Paolo Borghini 59 Braloworld @ 00' 14"
5 Robbie McEwen 6 Sielnec Lotto @ 02' 03"
6 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram @ 02' 03"
7 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank @ 02' 03"
8 Thor Hushovd 81 Credit Agricole @ 02' 03"
9 Robert Förster 112 Gerolsteiner @ 02' 03"
10 Mark Cavendish 43 Team Columbia @ 02' 03"
11 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia @ 02' 03"
12 Robert Hunter 58 Barloworld @ 02' 03"
13 Jérôme Pineau 145 Bouygues Telecom @ 02' 03"
14 Inaki Isasi 23 Euskaltel - Euskadi @ 02' 03"
15 Leonardo Duque 186 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone @ 02' 03"
16 Francesco Chicchi 63 Liquigas @ 02' 03"
17 Martijn Maaskant 197 Garmin Chipotle @ 02' 03"
18 Martin Elmiger 105 Ag2r-La Mondiale @ 02' 03"
19 Julian Dean 193 Garmin Chipotle @ 02' 03"
20 Matteo Carrara 93 Quick Step @ 02' 03"
21 Gert Steegmans 97 Quick Step @ 02' 03"
22 Sébastien Chavanel 162 Francaise Des Jeux @ 02' 03"
23 Sebastian Lang 117 Gerolsteiner @ 02' 03"
24 George Hincapie 47 Team Columbia @ 02' 03"
25 David Millar 198 Garmin Chipotle @ 02' 03"
26 Magnus Backstedt 192 Garmin Chipotle @ 02' 03"
28 Filippo Pozzato 61 Liquigas @ 02' 03"
39 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto @ 02' 03"
42 Andy Schleck 16 Team Csc Saxo Bank @ 02' 03"
46 Damiano Cunego 71 Lampre @ 02' 03"
47 Stijn Devolder 91 Quick Step @ 02' 03"
54 Haimar Zubeldia 21 Euskaltel - Euskadi @ 02' 03"
68 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse D’epargne @ 02' 03"
69 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSC Saxo Bank @ 02' 03"
70 Carlos Sastre 11 Team CSC Saxo Bank @ 02' 03"
92 Denis Menchov 131 Rabobank @ 02' 41"
102 Sylvain Chavanel 181 Cofidis Credit Par @ 02' 41"

General Classification (Yellow jersey)
1 Romain Feillu 124 Agritubel 13h 27' 05"
2 Paolo Borghini 59 Barloworld @ 00' 35"
3 William Frischkorn 194 Garmin Chipotle @ 01' 42"
4 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse D’Epargne @ 01' 45"
5 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia @ 01' 46"
6 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank @ 01' 46"
7 Jérôme Pineau 145 Bouygues Telecom @ 01' 46"
8 David Millar 198 Garmin Chipotle @ 01' 46"
9 Cadel Evans 1 Silence - Lotto @ 01' 46"
10 Filippo Pozzato 61 Liquigas @ 01' 46"
11 Frank Schleck 17 Team CSC Saxo Bank @ 01' 46"
12 Oscar Pereiro 37 Caisse D’Epargne @ 01' 46"
13 Matteo Carrara 93 Quick Step @ 01' 46"
14 Thor Hushovd 81 Credit Agricole @ 01' 52"
15 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram @ 01' 52"
16 Martin Elmiger 105 Ag2r-La Mondiale @ 01' 52"
17 Mikel Astarloza 22 Euskaltel - Euskadi 28' 57" @ @ 01' 52"
18 Samuel Sanchez 27 Euskaltel - Euskadi Bank @ 01' 52"
19 George Hincapie 47 Team Columbia @ 01' 52"
20 Andy Schleck 16 Team CSC Saxo Bank @ 01' 52"
21 Yury Trofimov 147 Bouygues Telecom @ 01' 52"
31 Carlos Sastre 11 Team CSC Saxo @ 01' 52"
32 Stijn Devolder 91 Quick Step @ 01' 01' 52"
33 Haimar Zubeldia 21 Euskaltel - Euskadi Scott @ 01' 52"
35 Damiano Cunego 71 Lampre @ 02' 52"
49 Riccardo Ricco 171 Saunier Duval 02' 24"
52 Denis Menchov 131 Rabobank @ 30"
55 Roman Kreuziger 65 Liquigas @ 05' 30"
85 Mark Cavendish 43 Team Columbia @ 03' 45"
176 Mauricio Soler 51 Barloworld @ 14' 59"

Sprint (Green jersey)
1 Kim Kirchen 41 Team Columbia 69 Pts
2 Thor Hushovd 81 Credit Agricole 64 Pts
3 Oscar Freire 133 Rabobank 55 Pts
4 Alejandro Valverde 31 Caisse D’Epargne 49 Pts
5 Erik Zabel 151 Team Milram 46 Pts
6 Samuel Dumoulin 185 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 43 pts
7 Robert Hunter 58 Barloworld 40 Pts
8 Jérôme Pineau 145 Bouygues Telecom 39 Pts
9 William Frischkorn 194 Garmin Chipotle 38 Pts
10 Romain Feillu 124 Agritubel 36 Pts

Mountains (Polka Dot jersey)
1 Thomas Voeckler 149 Bouygues Telecom 19 Pts
2 Sylvain Chavanel 181 Cofidis Credit Par Telephone 11 pts
3 Björn Schröder 156 Team Milram 9 Pts
4 David De La Fuente 174 Saunier Duval - Scott 4 pts
5 Lilian Jegou 166 Francaise Des Jeux 3 pts
6 Christophe Moreau 121 Agritubel 3 Pts
7 Geoffroy Lequatre 128 Agritubel 1 Pts
8 David Lelay 127 Agritubel 1 Pts
9 David Arroyo 32 Caisse D’Epargne 1 Pts