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Tour de Pologne 2019: Stage 3

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37km remaining from 157km

The three escapees are:

Here's the stage profile. Look familiar? That's because we did pretty much this exact stage at this exact point last year. In fact, the first three stages of this year's route are basically a re-run of 2018. Anyway, the riders once again started in the Śląski stadium in Chorzów and are heading south towards Zabrze, where they'll do four laps of a 6.2-kilometre finishing circuit. 

Bonus points if you can remember what happened here last year... here's our stage report

Miserable conditions out there. The rain is pouring down now.

Breakaway pushing on #tdp2019 pic.twitter.com/g1tVc4TZqn

100km remaining from 157km

Ackermann is still in the yellow jersey as overall leader of the race. Here he was a little earlier.

It took a couple of days, but now the transfer window is in full swing. We told you a few months ago Mikel Landa was off to Bahrain-Merida, and now it's a done deal. Here's the full story

The other big transfer news of the day is that Cofidis have got their hands on Elia Viviani, a big signing for the French team who have WorldTour aspirations. Here's the story

With 82km to go, the gap between the peloton and the three breakaway riders remains stable at around 3:15.

The riders will hit the four local laps with around 25km to go. There seems to be little chance of upsetting the sprinters today. 

Still Bora doing much of the legwork, and the gap comes down to 2:30. 

There's been a crash involving Lotto Soudal's young talent Bjorg Lambrecht, who has abandoned immediately. 

We're hearing now that Lambrecht required 'emergency reanimation' at the roadside, and is now being airlifted to hospital. That sounds very worrying indeed.

More on Lambrecht as soon as we get it.

59km remaining from 157km

The peloton 2'10" behind the break@BORAhansgrohe keeping good pace #tdp2019 pic.twitter.com/JpaNeOTzMZ

The riders are grabbing their musettes as they pass through the feed zone. 25km until we hit the local laps and things start to ramp up.

Having won that intermediate sprint before the KOM, Planet is the virtual leader of the race. He started the day second overall, one second behind Ackermann, but won't be in yellow unless Ackermann and Gaviria fail to finish on the podium later on. 

Latest from the race organisers on Lambrecht. 

My colleague Alasdair Fotheringham spoke to Lambrecht yesterday, and he was full of optimism for this race, ahead of an important second Grand Tour at the Vuelta a Espana later in the month. Here's what he had to say. For now, we're just hoping for good news from his team. 

 

38km remaining from 157km

31km remaining from 157km

The three leaders are heading into Zabrze and will soon be crossing the finish line for the first time. A reminder that four laps of the 6.2km finishing circuit await. 

They come into town, into the barriers, and into the crowds. The road in the final kilometre is wet and slippy, but it's not raining at the moment. 

There's a slight chicane ahead of the flamme rouge, followed just after it by a big left-hand bend. That's going to be treacherous later on, when the peloton are going full gas on the wet roads.

25km remaining from 157km

The circuit takes the riders out onto a big highway, which gently rises before dipping back down through a tight couple of corners into town. 

18km remaining from 157km

16km remaining from 157km

Bora start to step it up a notch and reduce the gap to 14 seconds on the false flat highway. The breakaway trio are really having to fight to dig in now.

12km remaining from 157km

Bora are doing all the work here and race leader Ackermann is the big favourite, with Gaviria likely to be the closest challenger. Other candidates include Mezgec, Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Maximilian Walscheid (Team Sunweb), Danny van Poppel (Team Jumbo-Visma), Jakub Mareczko (CCC Team), Sacha Modolo (EF Education First), and Marc Sarreau (Groupama-FDJ). 

Interesting development as Bora peel off from the front of the peloton on this third lap. Dimension Data find themselves on the front, but there's a lull, and the three leaders manage to eek out a few seconds. 15 seconds now as they head back into town.

6km remaining from 157km

Planet crashes!

5km remaining from 157km

Heartbreak for Planet, who might just have pulled on the leader's jersey had things gone his way in the expected sprint finish. 

Shalunov gets his head down and stamps on the pedals. He's out on the false flat highway and this is really going to hurt. Ineos lead the bunch.

The bunch fans out and splits in two as trains line up on either side of the road, with a gaping gap in the middle. They have Shalunov at five seconds now and the pace is really ramping up.

3km remaining from 157km

EF have four riders on Cavagna's wheel. The pace hits 65km/h on the highway. 

EF take it up now. Dimension Data are on the left with Cavendish, Bora just behind with Ackermann.

1km remaining from 157km

EF burn through their men now as they approach the flamme rouge. Ackermann looks well placed.

1km remaining from 157km

Bora lead it out properly now. 

And now Jungels hits the front

Degenkolb launches but now Ackermann responds

But here comes Jakobsen... and he takes it!

Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) wins stage 3 of the Tour de Pologne

Degenkolb went very early, and Ackermann responded by the barriers on the right, with Van Poppel on his wheel. Jakobsen found himself a couple of places back but darted out late on to the left, hitting the front in the final 25m before raising his arms.

Overhead replays show what was hinted at originally, and that's that Jakobsen raised his arm at Sarreau. The images clearly show him essentially pushing the Frenchman to one side, opening the gap through which he sprinted clear. He may be in trouble here. 

Provisional top 10

General classification after stage 3

For the time being, the race jury have taken no action against Jakobsen, but that may change. 

Here's our report page

I'd be amazed if Jakobsen keeps this. It was almost comical in the way he gently nudged Sarreau aside and sprinted into the gap. But you can't take your hands off the bars and you can't push another rider. The big question is whether the commissaires are aware and have the footage. 

Hearing now that Jakobsen has been relegated. That would make Ackermann the winner.

The result pales into insignificance as we are deeply sorry to have to report the terrible, terrible news that Bjorg Lambrecht has died.  

The biggest tragedy possible that could happen to the family, friends and teammates of Bjorg has happened… Rest in peace Bjorg...  pic.twitter.com/9u9LZkp2Rt

Bjorg Lambrecht dies at age 22

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