Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty) won the bunch sprint in Turin on Monday ahead of Fernando Gaviria (Movistar), who took second, and Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny) who came in third. In taking this stage victory, Girmay became the first black African to win a stage at the Tour de France.
In the overall GC, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) took over the yellow jersey from Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) as a result of finishing ahead of him in the sprint, however, the top four riders on the GC, Carapaz, Pogačar, Remco Evenepoel, and Jonas Vingegaard, are still all at the same time (15:20:18″).
Girmay, somewhat in shock, explained afterwards that he was not even the team’s designated sprinter for the stage. “Normally the plan would be to give a leadout for Gerben Thijssen,” he said, “and if it’s the circumstances … I need to try for myself. We did a really good job but in the last kilometre I lost the wheel of Gerben and I just rode for myself.”
“I never dreamed of being part of the Tour de France, but now, I can believe it,” Girmay went on say. “To win at the Tour de France in a big bunch sprint for me was unbelievable.”
Arnaid De Lie, in his first Tour de France, was pleased with his 3rd place. “This was my first mass sprint in the Tour de France and it was special. The team did a good job and in the end I finished third. Am I satisfied with that third place? Absolutely. I am really happy with this. The Tour is still long and there are still opportunities to come. I felt really good anyway.”
New leader Richard Carapaz was thrilled to have the yellow jersey. “The plan was to take the yellow, but there was quite a bit of danger in the final that we had to watch out for. It’s a dream come true for me. Especially with all the respect I have for the Tour de France. It’s quite emotional for me and I’m definitely going to enjoy it.”
RESULTS
Stage 3: Piacenza > Torino (230.8km)
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