Henderson takes shock win

New Zealander Greg Henderson, who rides for Team Columbia, took a surprise victory in the third stage of the Tour of Spain.

Sprint favourites left trailing in Kiwi's wake

Team Columbia rider Greg Henderson took a surprise victory in the third stage of the Tour of Spain on Monday. The New Zealander led home Borut Bozic and former three-time world champion Oscar Freire in a chaotic sprint into the Dutch city of Venlo. Fabian Cancellara retained the overall lead of the race, which does not enter Spain until stage five, while Henderson's time bonus for winning moved him up into second place. Dutch pair Johnny Hoogerland and Lars Boom, along with Spanish rider Jesus Rosendo, formed the day's breakaway after attacking two kilometres in. The advantage over the peloton grew to 10 minutes before Cancellara's Saxo Bank team took up the chase to ensure their rider retained the golden jersey.

Chase

The gap stayed steady at about eight minutes until the race entered Germany for the first time in its history and the peloton began the chase in earnest. Milram, Quick Step and Garmin led the pursuit and by the time the riders had re-entered Holland there was no hope of the breakaway staying clear. With 30 kilometres to go, Rosendo launched a solo attack but it ultimately proved fruitless as he was caught 12 kilometres from the finish. A disorganised sprint followed, with favourites such as Tom Boonen, Gerald Ciolek and Tyler Farrar well down the order in the final stages. Henderson took advantage and had a comfortable margin as he crossed the finish line to take his first grand tour stage win. Stage three result:
1 Greg Henderson (New Zealand / Columbia ) 4hrs 41mins 01secs
2 Borut Bozic (Slovenia/Vacansoleil) same time
3 Oscar Freire (Spain/Rabobank)
4 Andre Greipel (Germany/Columbia)
5 William Bonnet (France/Bbox - Bouygues)
6 Tom Boonen (Belgium/Quick-Step)
7 Roger Hammond (Britain/Cervelo)
8 Wouter Weylandt (Belgium/Quick-Step)
9 Stuart O'Grady (Australia/Saxo Bank)
10 Juergen Roelandts (Belgium/Silence-Lotto) Overall standings:
1 Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland / Saxo Bank ) 9hrs 29mins 33secs
2 Greg Henderson (New Zealand / Columbia ) +6"
3 Gerald Ciolek (Germany/Milram) +8"
4 Tom Boonen (Belgium/Quick-Step) +9"
5 Tyler Farrar (U.S./Garmin) +12"
6 Jens Mouris (Netherlands/Vacansoleil) +14"
7 Lars Boom (Netherlands/Rabobank) +16"
8 Daniele Bennati (Italy/Liquigas)
9 Roman Kreuziger (Czech Republic/Liquigas) +17"
10 David Garcia (Spain/Xacobeo) +18"