Lau, Clementz and Kabush win special stages on day 3

Image 1 of 3

Day 3's racing produced three different special stage winners: Nicolas Lau (Cube Action Team), Jérôme Clementz (Cannondale/Mavic) and Geoff Kabush (Scott-3Rox).

There were no changes in overall positions at the top spots in the standings in stage, although plenty more racing remains. Lau contines to lead Clementz and Nicolas Vouilloz (Lapierre). Among the women, former downhill star Anne-Caroline Chausson tops the standings.

The approach to the first special stage gave racers a chance to become more personally acquainted with their bikes. Yes, It was the first major carry of the Trans - Provence. A 500-metre carry, or push depending upon your persuasion, led to a col in the mountains and the start of the day's timed racing.

An equally steep descent balanced out the climb to the summit. Back on the valley floor, racers were onto a long liason stage, with a lengthy climb off the valley floor to the feed station.

Special stage 2 was especially brutal but the hard work uphill paid off with grins at the end of the descent.

Another long road section followed by the last fire road climb of the day leading to the final special stage. Fast traversing singletrack with plenty of exposure across desert-like hillside dropped riders into a wooded valley bottom and a final flat out pedalling across undulating (some of it very steeply undulating) singletrack .

Full Results