FILE PHOTO: Cycling - UCI Track Cycling World Championships - Ballerup Super Arena, Ballerup, Denmark - October 16, 2024 Netherlands' Lorena Wiebes in action during the women's scratch race Thomas Traasdahl/Ritzau Scanpix via REUTERS/File Photo
(Reuters) -Lorena Wiebes prevailed in a chaotic sprint to claim victory in the third stage of the Tour de France Femmes on Monday, edging fellow Dutch rider Marianne Vos who took the overall lead after a 163.5km ride from La Gacilly to Angers.
Sprint specialist Wiebes (SD Worx-Protime), who narrowly lost stage two to Mavi Garcia, made an explosive push for the finish as a crash in the final four kilometres temporarily took out several riders including 2023 champion Demi Vollering (FDJ-Suez).
Opening stage winner Vos (Visma–Lease a Bike) lost a photo-finish to Wiebes but reclaimed the yellow jersey from Kim Le Court Pienaar (AG Insurance-Soudal), who led the general classification after Sunday's second stage but dropped to second with a six-second deficit.
"It was very hectic... I think when we went right on to the river there was a big crash behind me. I hope everyone is well," Vos said.
The stage, mostly on a flat terrain, began without Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini, who withdrew from the race due to a stomach infection.
Four riders made an early attack to form the leading pack, with Alison Jackson (EF Education-Oatly) winning a mountain sprint to the top of Cote de La Richardiere.
But others slowly caught up, with Lotte Kopecky expertly leading her teammate Wiebes to the front, setting up the final sprint just before the crash derailed a number of riders behind them.
New Zealand's Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) finished third as her teammate Vollering, who recovered from the crash, remained in contention in the general classification, sitting 19 seconds behind Vos.
The Tour continues on Tuesday with stage four, a 130.7km ride from Saumur to Poitiers through another mostly-flat terrain.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in BengaluruEditing by Christian Radnedge)
