Alex Dowsett takes lead at Circuit de la Sarthe after winning stage three time trial
Wednesday 9 April 2014 18:24, UK
Britain’s Alex Dowsett moved into the overall lead of the Circuit de la Sarthe in France after winning stage three’s individual time trial.
The Movistar rider negotiated a flat 6.8km course in Angers in a time of 8min 5sec, which was five seconds faster than runner-up Rohan Dennis and seven seconds ahead of third-placed Ramunas Navardauskas, both of Garmin-Sharp.
The result on the day is also the new general classification, meaning Dowsett holds a slender advantage heading into a rolling fourth stage from Angers to Pre en Pail on Thursday.
It was the 25-year-old’s first win since his victory at the British national time trial championships last June.
He said afterwards: "I already thought of this race in the first training camp in November, and I said to the team, 'I think I can maybe win this race, because in the past, time triallists have won here'.
"I took some risks on the corners and I really thought like I had made a good job of it after the finish."
Earlier in the day, fellow Briton Lizzie Armitstead continued her fine run of form by claiming a seventh consecutive podium finish with a second place on the opening stage of the Energiewacht Tour in the Netherlands. Home favourite Kirsten Wild took the win.
Circuit Sarthe-Pays de la Loire stage three result and general classification
1 Alex Dowsett (GB) Movistar, 8:05
2 Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp, +5secs
3 Ramunas Navardauskas (Lit) Garmin-Sharp, +7
4 Anthony Delaplace (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement, +10
5 Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement, same time
