🎥 Massive crash wipes out the peloton in Wallonia stage 3, Pithie wins reduced sprint

The third stage of the Tour de Wallonie was won on Wednesday by Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe’s Laurence Pithie. The finale was marred by a heavy crash just before the final kilometre.

The first two stages of the Walloon stage race, which moved to early June this year, were won by fast men. Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) took the win on day one, while one day later it was the turn of the surprise New Zealander Ben Oliver of Modern Adventure Cycling.

On day three there was, as is customary in a bike race, once again a breakaway. This time it consisted of Italian champion Filippo Conca (Jayco AlUla), Senne Thonnon (Flanders Baloise), Jarno Bellens (Baloise), George Wood (Mg.K), Jonah Killy (Tarteletto) and Álvar Sagrado of Team Storck.

Control was taken by the teams that had already enjoyed success: Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and Modern Adventure. Together with NSN, they ensured the break was brought back within the final ten kilometres.

From there, attention shifted to the closing kilometres, which rose slightly towards Vaux-sur-Sûre. One kilometre from the finish, disaster struck when Arne Marit crashed while preparing for the sprint and took around 30 riders with him. Only about a dozen riders were left standing.

Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and Netcompany INEOS were the best represented in that reduced group, with Pithie proving the fastest after excellent work from Danny van Poppel. Kim Heiduk (Netcompany INEOS) was second, ahead of Krists Neilands.