Chaotic is the word that best describes the third stage of the Tour. At first, it didn't seem like it would be, but in the end, the ride to Dunkirk was marked by numerous crashes. Visma | Lease a Bike stayed out of trouble all day, so the mood was good after the finish. Tiesj Benoot was the first Visma | Lease a Bike rider to finish, coming in 66th in the stage results. The Killer Bees did not play a significant role,
unlike the day before. Nevertheless, the team appears particularly pleased that all eight riders arrived safely at the finish in Dunkirk.
“We had headwind for most of the day, which created some nervousness in the bunch,” explained Head of Racing
Grischa Niermann in a
press release. “We also saw that in the finale as well, with the crashes. Today was a day where you could really only lose. Luckily, we didn't and we all crossed the finish line safely. It was another strong performance from the team,” he said with satisfaction.
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Van Aert hopes for better luck on Tuesday: "I was able to recover well today"
The team had already announced that
Wout van Aert would not be involved in the bunch sprint as he would rather focus on other goals. In hindsight, that was probably for the best, as there were some heavy crashes in the final. Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) seemed to be the biggest victim, although Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step)
also hit the ground.
“In the final, we dropped back a little with the team,” Van Aert said after the race. “Overall, I was able to recover well today. Hopefully, I'll be a little better tomorrow and can compete for the stage win in the final.” On Tuesday, another
punchy stage awaits in Rouen, where the Belgian will be eager to strike again.