Tour of Britain Men: Matthew Brennan sprints to stage 3 victory into Ampthill
Alberto Dainese second and Rui Oliveira claim podium spots with Olav Kooij in top 10 to retain overall lead
Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) won a frantic bunch sprint to take the victory on stage 3 of the Tour of Britain in Ampthill.
Brennan profited from a blistering leadout from teammate and race leader Olav Kooij to easily win ahead of Alberto Dainese (Tudor) and Rui Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) to make it a trio of stage wins for Visma-Lease a Bike.
It was a slightly unusual change of role, with Kooij sacrificing his chances for Brennan, rather than the Briton supporting the race leader.
"It was always the plan - they said, 'we cannot have you going to your home race and not try and win something'," Brennan said. "To be given this opportunity, especially when Olav is leading, it's really special, and I'm really thankful for that."
Kooij finished inside the top 10 to hold onto his green leader's jersey. With the time bonus for the stage win, Brennan climbed into second place in the GC standings at 10 seconds, with Dainese moving into the podium position in third at 14 seconds.
After winning the first two stages, Kooij said he was happy to deliver Brennan to the stage win on Thursday.
"[It was] another day where we work hard to get a sprint in the first place, and we had a plan to turn it around for today," Kooij said. "I was happy to do my job and deliver [Brennan] in a good way.
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"We were looking at the course, and I think we knew in the first few stages we would definitely have a good shot. The rest of the week is a bit harder, so we will see. With the team we have here, we had the option, so it's also nice to use them."
Kooij acknowledged that the race will shift in a different direction on Friday, with more climbs bringing the overall contenders to the fore.
"I think there's going to be fireworks tomorrow," Brennan said. "I think potentially GC is going to have a little bit of a shake-up, but I think it's something to look forward to - we'll see what happens."
How it unfolded
It was a rainy start to the day for the 122.8-kilometre stage 3 from Milton Keynes to Ampthill, but the weather didn't dampen the enthusiasm in the bunch as several attacks went from the official start.
The elastic quickly snapped as the peloton was strung out across the countryside and finally, as a four-rider group went clear, the rain let up.
Casper Pedersen (Soudal-QuickStep), Robin Froidevaux (Tudor), Mats Wenzel (Kern Pharma), and Ben Chilton (Great Britain) made the move that dominated the stage, gaining a maximum of 90 seconds.
Wenzel won the two intermediate sprints in Northill and split the two KOM sprints in Hillfoot with Ben Chilton.
Their advantage began to come down in the closing kilometres, and an attack from Axel Huens (Unibet Tietema Rockets) only served to bring the chasing bunch closer to the leaders.
Despite a late surge from Pedersen and Froidevaux, with 11km to go, the race was all back together.
Flanders Baloise, Tudor and Unibet Tietema Rockets led the bunch into the final kilometre but were quickly overtaken by Visma-Lease a Bike wtih Kooij pulling Brennan into the winning position.
Results
Position |
Rider (Team) |
Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Matthew Brennan (GBR) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
2:35:45 |
2 |
Alberto Dainese (ITA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
" |
3 |
Rui Filipe Alves Oliveira (POR) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
" |
4 |
Hugo Hofstetter (FRA) Israel - Premier Tech |
" |
5 |
Milan Menten (BEL) Lotto |
" |
6 |
Tim Torn Teutenberg (GER) Lidl-Trek |
" |
7 |
Matevž Govekar (SLO) Bahrain Victorious |
" |
8 |
Tom Crabbe (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
" |
9 |
Olav Kooij (NED) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
" |
10 |
Marc Brustenga Masague (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma |
" |
11 |
Rory Townsend (IRL) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
" |
12 |
Brady Gilmore (AUS) Israel - Premier Tech |
" |
13 |
Matthew Walls (GBR) Groupama-Fdj |
" |
14 |
Luke Lamperti (USA) Soudal Quick-Step |
" |
15 |
Alexander Kristoff (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
" |
16 |
Florian Vermeersch (BEL) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
" |
17 |
Samuel Watson (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers |
" |
18 |
António Morgado (POR) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
" |
19 |
Tord Gudmestad (NOR) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
" |
20 |
Davide Bomboi (BEL) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
" |
21 |
Noa Isidore (FRA) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
" |
22 |
Milan Vader (NED) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
" |
23 |
John Degenkolb (GER) Team Picnic Postnl |
" |
24 |
Sean Flynn (GBR) Team Picnic Postnl |
" |
25 |
Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain Victorious |
" |
26 |
Afonso Eulálio (POR) Bahrain Victorious |
" |
27 |
Edoardo Zambanini (ITA) Bahrain Victorious |
" |
28 |
Zeb Kyffin (GBR) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
" |
29 |
Alfred Brockwell Wright (GBR) Bahrain Victorious |
" |
30 |
Aurélien Paret-Peintre (FRA) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
" |
31 |
Reef Roberts (NZL) Groupama-Fdj |
" |
32 |
Nicholas Schultz (AUS) Israel - Premier Tech |
" |
33 |
Peter Joseph Blackmore (GBR) Israel - Premier Tech |
" |
34 |
Iñigo Elosegui Momeñe (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma |
" |
35 |
Boje Patrick Frydkjær (DEN) Lidl-Trek |
" |
36 |
Martin Bugge Urianstad (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
" |
37 |
Huw Buck Jones (GBR) Great Britain |
" |
38 |
Remco Evenepoel (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step |
" |
39 |
Cesar Perez Lopez (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma |
" |
40 |
Breiner Henrik Pedersen (DEN) Uno-X Mobility |
" |
41 |
Emils Liepins (LAT) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
" |
42 |
Pavel Sivakov (XRG) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
" |
43 |
Romain Grégoire (FRA) Groupama-Fdj |
" |
44 |
Toon Aerts (BEL) Lotto |
" |
45 |
Ben Swift (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers |
" |
46 |
Quentin Pacher (FRA) Groupama-Fdj |
" |
47 |
Bastien Tronchon (FRA) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
" |
48 |
Axel Huens (FRA) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
" |
49 |
Matteo Trentin (ITA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
" |
50 |
Ilan Van Wilder (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step |
" |
51 |
Mathys Rondel (FRA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
" |
52 |
Milan Lanhoove (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
" |
53 |
Victor Lafay (FRA) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
" |
54 |
Luke Finlay Tarling (GBR) Israel - Premier Tech |
" |
55 |
Lennard Kämna (GER) Lidl-Trek |
" |
56 |
Tim Declercq (BEL) Lidl-Trek |
" |
57 |
Zachary Marriage (AUS) Israel - Premier Tech |
" |
58 |
Frederik Frison (BEL) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
" |
59 |
Hartthijs De Vries (NED) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
" |
60 |
Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBR) Lidl-Trek |
" |
61 |
Siebe Deweirdt (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
" |
62 |
Micheal Ben Wiggins (GBR) Great Britain |
" |
63 |
Mark Donovan (GBR) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
" |
64 |
Cornelius Tomas Kopecký (CZE) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
" |
65 |
Jules Hesters (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
" |
66 |
Victor Vercouillie (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
" |
67 |
Elias Maris (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
" |
68 |
Ruben Fernandez (ESP) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
" |
69 |
Rasmus Tiller (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
" |
70 |
Robin Orins (BEL) Lotto |
" |
71 |
Andreas Stokbro Nielsen (DEN) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
" |
72 |
Andreas Leknessund (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
" |
73 |
Oscar Onley (GBR) Team Picnic Postnl |
" |
74 |
Joseph Pidcock (GBR) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
" |
75 |
Ethan Hayter (GBR) Soudal Quick-Step |
" |
76 |
Andrew August (USA) Ineos Grenadiers |
" |
77 |
Fabian Lienhard (SUI) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
" |
78 |
Rafael Reis (POR) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
" |
79 |
Victor Martinez Garcia (ESP) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
" |
80 |
Lorenzo Germani (ITA) Groupama-Fdj |
" |
81 |
Joshua Golliker (GBR) Great Britain |
" |
82 |
Storm Ingebrigsten (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
" |
83 |
Thymen Arensman (NED) Ineos Grenadiers |
" |
84 |
Bauke Mollema (NED) Lidl-Trek |
" |
85 |
Mats Wenzel (LUX) Equipo Kern Pharma |
" |
86 |
Dries De Bondt (BEL) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
" |
87 |
Lucas Hamilton (AUS) Ineos Grenadiers |
" |
88 |
Rune Herregodts (BEL) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
" |
89 |
Matthew Bostock (GBR) Great Britain |
" |
90 |
Thomas Gloag (GBR) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
" |
91 |
Martin Svrček (SVK) Soudal Quick-Step |
" |
92 |
Robin Froidevaux (SUI) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
" |
93 |
Julius Johansen (DEN) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
" |
94 |
Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
" |
95 |
Žak Eržen (SLO) Bahrain Victorious |
+0:20 |
96 |
Harrison Wood (GBR) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
+0:27 |
97 |
Josh Charlton (GBR) Great Britain |
+0:33 |
98 |
Edoardo Affini (ITA) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
+0:33 |
99 |
Enzo Leijnse (NED) Team Picnic Postnl |
+0:41 |
100 |
Ben Chilton (GBR) Great Britain |
+0:47 |
101 |
Julien Vermote (BEL) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
+0:47 |
102 |
Matteo Vanhuffel (BEL) Team Picnic Postnl |
+0:54 |
103 |
Timo De Jong (NED) Team Picnic Postnl |
+0:54 |
104 |
Loe Van Belle (NED) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
+1:01 |
105 |
Olivier Le Gac (FRA) Groupama-Fdj |
+1:01 |
106 |
Baptiste Veistroffer (FRA) Lotto |
+1:01 |
107 |
Cédric Beullens (BEL) Lotto |
+1:09 |
108 |
Joshua Giddings (GBR) Lotto |
+1:09 |
109 |
Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers |
+1:29 |
110 |
Diego Uriarte Belzunegi (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma |
+1:29 |
111 |
Phillip Casper Pedersen (DEN) Soudal Quick-Step |
+2:17 |
112 |
Paulo Fernandes Paulo (POR) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
+2:43 |
113 |
Alexis Guerin (FRA) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
" |
Position |
Rider (Team) |
Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Olav Kooij (NED) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
9:48:40 |
2 |
Matthew Brennan (GBR) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
+0:10 |
3 |
Alberto Dainese (ITA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:14 |
4 |
Tom Crabbe (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
+0:14 |
5 |
Mats Wenzel (LUX) Equipo Kern Pharma |
+0:14 |
6 |
Hugo Hofstetter (FRA) Israel - Premier Tech |
+0:16 |
7 |
Samuel Watson (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers |
+0:16 |
8 |
Andreas Stokbro Nielsen (DEN) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
+0:17 |
9 |
Milan Lanhoove (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
+0:17 |
10 |
Robin Froidevaux (SUI) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:18 |
11 |
Joshua Golliker (GBR) Great Britain |
+0:18 |
12 |
Rory Townsend (IRL) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:20 |
13 |
Matevž Govekar (SLO) Bahrain Victorious |
+0:20 |
14 |
Marc Brustenga Masague (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma |
+0:20 |
15 |
Luke Lamperti (USA) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:20 |
16 |
Davide Bomboi (BEL) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
+0:20 |
17 |
Alexander Kristoff (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:20 |
18 |
Brady Gilmore (AUS) Israel - Premier Tech |
+0:20 |
19 |
Florian Vermeersch (BEL) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:20 |
20 |
Sean Flynn (GBR) Team Picnic Postnl |
+0:20 |
21 |
Noa Isidore (FRA) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
+0:20 |
22 |
Milan Vader (NED) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:20 |
23 |
Breiner Henrik Pedersen (DEN) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:20 |
24 |
Edoardo Zambanini (ITA) Bahrain Victorious |
+0:20 |
25 |
Tim Torn Teutenberg (GER) Lidl-Trek |
+0:20 |
26 |
Bastien Tronchon (FRA) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
+0:20 |
27 |
Emils Liepins (LAT) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:20 |
28 |
John Degenkolb (GER) Team Picnic Postnl |
+0:20 |
29 |
Axel Huens (FRA) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
+0:20 |
30 |
Aurélien Paret-Peintre (FRA) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
+0:20 |
31 |
Pello Bilbao (ESP) Bahrain Victorious |
+0:20 |
32 |
Pavel Sivakov (XRG) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:20 |
33 |
António Morgado (POR) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:20 |
34 |
Jules Hesters (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
+0:20 |
35 |
Robin Orins (BEL) Lotto |
+0:20 |
36 |
Mathys Rondel (FRA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:20 |
37 |
Zeb Kyffin (GBR) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
+0:20 |
38 |
Toon Aerts (BEL) Lotto |
+0:20 |
39 |
Ben Swift (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers |
+0:20 |
40 |
Nicholas Schultz (AUS) Israel - Premier Tech |
+0:20 |
41 |
Peter Joseph Blackmore (GBR) Israel - Premier Tech |
+0:20 |
42 |
Reef Roberts (NZL) Groupama-Fdj |
+0:20 |
43 |
Ruben Fernandez (ESP) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
+0:20 |
44 |
Cesar Perez Lopez (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma |
+0:20 |
45 |
Alfred Brockwell Wright (GBR) Bahrain Victorious |
+0:20 |
46 |
Matteo Trentin (ITA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:20 |
47 |
Fabian Lienhard (SUI) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:20 |
48 |
Dries De Bondt (BEL) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
+0:20 |
49 |
Martin Bugge Urianstad (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:20 |
50 |
Frederik Frison (BEL) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:20 |
51 |
Boje Patrick Frydkjær (DEN) Lidl-Trek |
+0:20 |
52 |
Afonso Eulálio (POR) Bahrain Victorious |
+0:20 |
53 |
Elias Maris (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
+0:20 |
54 |
Romain Grégoire (FRA) Groupama-Fdj |
+0:20 |
55 |
Mark Donovan (GBR) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+0:20 |
56 |
Oscar Onley (GBR) Team Picnic Postnl |
+0:20 |
57 |
Rasmus Tiller (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:20 |
58 |
Micheal Ben Wiggins (GBR) Great Britain |
+0:20 |
59 |
Matthew Bostock (GBR) Great Britain |
+0:20 |
60 |
Huw Buck Jones (GBR) Great Britain |
+0:20 |
61 |
Lennard Kämna (GER) Lidl-Trek |
+0:20 |
62 |
Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBR) Lidl-Trek |
+0:20 |
63 |
Remco Evenepoel (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:20 |
64 |
Cornelius Tomas Kopecký (CZE) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
+0:20 |
65 |
Victor Vercouillie (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
+0:20 |
66 |
Iñigo Elosegui Momeñe (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma |
+0:20 |
67 |
Quentin Pacher (FRA) Groupama-Fdj |
+0:20 |
68 |
Ilan Van Wilder (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:20 |
69 |
Hartthijs De Vries (NED) Unibet Tietema Rockets |
+0:20 |
70 |
Andrew August (USA) Ineos Grenadiers |
+0:20 |
71 |
Siebe Deweirdt (BEL) Team Flanders - Baloise |
+0:20 |
72 |
Storm Ingebrigsten (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:20 |
73 |
Victor Lafay (FRA) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
+0:20 |
74 |
Lorenzo Germani (ITA) Groupama-Fdj |
+0:20 |
75 |
Martin Svrček (SVK) Soudal Quick-Step |
+0:20 |
76 |
Luke Finlay Tarling (GBR) Israel - Premier Tech |
+0:20 |
77 |
Bauke Mollema (NED) Lidl-Trek |
+0:20 |
78 |
Tim Declercq (BEL) Lidl-Trek |
+0:20 |
79 |
Andreas Leknessund (NOR) Uno-X Mobility |
+0:20 |
80 |
Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Tudor Pro Cycling Team |
+0:20 |
81 |
Thomas Gloag (GBR) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
+0:20 |
82 |
Thymen Arensman (NED) Ineos Grenadiers |
+0:20 |
83 |
Victor Martinez Garcia (ESP) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
+0:20 |
84 |
Rune Herregodts (BEL) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
+0:20 |
85 |
Alexis Guerin (FRA) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
+0:20 |
86 |
Žak Eržen (SLO) Bahrain Victorious |
+0:40 |
87 |
Lucas Hamilton (AUS) Ineos Grenadiers |
+0:45 |
88 |
Ben Chilton (GBR) Great Britain |
+1:03 |
89 |
Baptiste Veistroffer (FRA) Lotto |
+1:19 |
90 |
Olivier Le Gac (FRA) Groupama-Fdj |
+1:21 |
91 |
Joshua Giddings (GBR) Lotto |
+1:29 |
92 |
Matteo Vanhuffel (BEL) Team Picnic Postnl |
+1:45 |
93 |
Loe Van Belle (NED) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
+1:46 |
94 |
Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers |
+2:14 |
95 |
Enzo Leijnse (NED) Team Picnic Postnl |
+2:30 |
96 |
Tord Gudmestad (NOR) Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale Team |
+2:59 |
97 |
Cédric Beullens (BEL) Lotto |
+2:59 |
98 |
Timo De Jong (NED) Team Picnic Postnl |
+3:00 |
99 |
Harrison Wood (GBR) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
+3:07 |
100 |
Julien Vermote (BEL) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
+3:52 |
101 |
Edoardo Affini (ITA) Team Visma | Lease A Bike |
+4:25 |
102 |
Milan Menten (BEL) Lotto |
+4:40 |
103 |
Phillip Casper Pedersen (DEN) Soudal Quick-Step |
+5:22 |
104 |
Rui Filipe Alves Oliveira (POR) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
+5:58 |
105 |
Rafael Reis (POR) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
+6:01 |
106 |
Matthew Walls (GBR) Groupama-Fdj |
+6:02 |
107 |
Julius Johansen (DEN) Uae Team Emirates - XRG |
+6:02 |
108 |
Ethan Hayter (GBR) Soudal Quick-Step |
+6:24 |
109 |
Joseph Pidcock (GBR) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team |
+6:50 |
110 |
Josh Charlton (GBR) Great Britain |
+6:57 |
111 |
Zachary Marriage (AUS) Israel - Premier Tech |
+7:18 |
112 |
Paulo Fernandes Paulo (POR) Anicolor/Tien 21 |
+10:01 |
113 |
Diego Uriarte Belzunegi (ESP) Equipo Kern Pharma |
+17:29 |
Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.
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