Key occasions
149km to go: The TV protection simply confirmed a Tour fan on a motorcycle suspended within the air by some kind of farm equipment or crane. Courageous.
Over within the peloton, not a lot to report in the meanwhile other than the truth that Mathieu Van der Poel and his Alpecin-Deceuninck teammates have taken positions on the entrance of the peloton. May they be hoping for a hat-trick of stage wins? Jasper Philipsen received the primary stage and Van der Poel took the second stage, so a 3rd win in as many days can be an actual present of dominance for the staff.
Followers are out alongside the moist roadside:
157km to go: Oh, take a look at that. Max Schachmann (Soudal Fast-Step) and Jonas Rickaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck) quietly opened up a niche of 20secs. However, they’ve been swallowed up by the peloton.
It’s going to be difficult for any breakaways to type and stick this early, particularly given the cross headwinds for the primary half of the route. There’ll be headwinds as they begin heading north afterward too.
160km to go: We’ve got motion! Tim Wellens and Nils Politt of UAE Group Emirates speed up away with grins, however Alpecin-Deceuninck take no possibilities and swiftly shut it down.
Over on the Soudal-QuickStep staff radio, the riders have been suggested to not maintain on to the rain jackets for too lengthy in case they overheat.
163km to go: The bunch are very a lot chilling (at 34.7 km/h), chatting away like they’re on a membership trip of their rain jackets. Tim Wellens (UAE Group Emirates) stops for a fast mechanical.
David has emailed in. He says:
With it being a flat stage as we speak, and the good probability of crosswinds (so all of us get to shout “echelons!”) which could make the peleton very nervous. There’s a cat 4 close to the top however I don’t assume it’s going to be sufficient to create a variety there.
Really feel a bit sorry for Damien T, no approach to spend a birthday within the wind and rain!
Pogačar and Vingegaard wanting imperious, we’re in varieties deal with this 12 months.
Have a beautiful day
Thanks David. You too!
169km to go: Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious) was alone out entrance for a bit however the peloton has caught up and the riders are collectively once more. Not a lot is going on in the meanwhile, simply the riders rolling alongside properly.
173km to go: Jonas Rickaert (Alpecin-Deceuninck) fancied getting away and has been adopted by Matej Mohorič (Bahrain Victorious). They’ve managed a modest 30secs hole up to now.
The racing has begun!
175km to go: The flag has dropped and racing is formally underneath means on stage three. The beginning was delayed by six minutes due to some mechanicals within the neutralised part and riders then getting again to the bunch.
There’s a birthday within the peloton! Joyeux anniversaire Damien Touzé of Cofidis.
On one other be aware, TNT Sports activities’ viewer prediction ballot has Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) because the favorite for as we speak’s stage, however the presenters appear to be favouring Tim Merlier (Soudal Fast-Step). Does anybody have any riders tipped for the win exterior the highest names? Let me know in case you do.
Right here’s a climate report from the Tour’s race centre:
Proper now, it’s raining closely on the outskirts of Valenciennes. Fortuitously, the rain will ease off because the stage progresses … similtaneously the north wind picks up. It’ll blow sideways to the peloton till Lilliers (km 108.5). Then, it is going to be a headwind. Temperatures will vary between 15ºC and 20ºC.
As we speak’s rollout has begun
Stage three of the Tour de France 2025 is underneath means. The peloton have rolled out from a really wet Valenciennes. There’s a 6.6km neutralised part earlier than the racing begins.
Jem has been in contact fom Kenilworth, Warwickshire, and says:
Anybody else having fun with this 12 months purely for the truth that it’s free from the insufferable stress of ready for Cav to get that 35th win?
I don’t thoughts who wins the sprints any extra and I don’t have to fret about him hauling himself over an Alp inside the closing dates.
It’s Pogi for me any more – nevertheless it’s TDF time which is all the time thrilling for me.
That’s a great level Jem. Additionally, if anybody has been following Mark Cavendish’s posts and movies from the Tour on social media up to now, you’ll have seen how the Manx missile is having the time of his life from the sidelines. It’s fascinating to see him discovering the excitement of the Tour from a fan’s perspective. He informed Ned Boulting in an interview that the TdF is even larger than he had realised and joked that he wished he’d retired 5 years in the past.
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On that be aware, Rouleur’s Stephen Puddicombe has written concerning the Paris-Roubaix panorama that as we speak’s stage will – and received’t – contact upon:
This panorama can be recognisable to biking followers as Paris-Roubaix nation – the Arenberg Forest, one of the well-known websites of that race, is positioned a mere 10 kilometres away from Valenciennes. But the organisers have chosen to not embody any of that race’s infamous pavé sectors; a lot to the frustration of followers who’d have relished the uncommon and thrilling spectacle of cobblestone racing at a Grand Tour, however to the reduction of many GC contenders and their employees, anxiously conscious of how one piece of dangerous luck on such a chaotic stage, be it a crash of puncture, can see their desires of a excessive GC end unravel even this early within the race.
As an alternative, he writes, the peloton will cowl flat, tarmacked roads to Dunkirk – the northernmost level of this 12 months’s Tour.
Speaking about Paris-Roubaix, I can extremely suggest going to look at on the roadside. It’s completely thrilling and has an ideal ambiance. Additionally, it’s value seeing a few of these cobbles up shut.
A stage three briefing, by way of Thierry Gouvenou, ex-professional bike owner, director of the race and architect of the Tour de France race route:
Third stage of the Tour de France, Valenciennes to Dunkirk, [is] definitely the flattest stage, however maybe not the least difficult.
We’ll go via locations like Orchies, Mons-en-Pévèle, and the roads of Paris-Roubaix with out the cobblestones. After which shortly, we’ll head in direction of the Flanders Plain. We’ll have the climb of Cassel, which would be the highest level of the stage. However proper after Cassel on the best way to Dunkirk, we’re in very flat areas but additionally very windy and we are able to count on echelons.
All the things will rely on the wind, however it is going to nonetheless be a second of warning for the Tour de France leaders, and for the sprinters it is going to nonetheless be an opportunity to win one other stage.
Oh pricey, the solar isn’t shining in Valenciennes:
To not be smug, however the climate seems to be decidedly higher out of my window in London. The place are you all following alongside from?
Right here’s the profile of stage three of the Tour de France 2025:
Stage two: Valenciennes to Dunkirk, 178km
Right here’s a take a look at as we speak’s stage, Monday 7 July: Valenciennes to Dunkirk, 178.3km, with William Fotheringham’s preview:
A 3rd very accessible day for UK followers, one other ascent of Cassel, however the secure cash is on a bunch dash in Dunkirk, famed amongst biking followers for the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque stage race which really lasts six days. The identical proviso as day one: a westerly equals crosswinds on the ultimate uncovered 35km and splits within the discipline. These early days can be full of crashes and rigidity, however Philipsen and firm can be licking their lips.
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Additionally, you possibly can sit up for each stage with this helpful information:
Preamble
Welcome again to the Guardian’s Tour de France 2025 stay weblog! Be part of me for protection of stage three – the flattest of all the race this 12 months. The 178.3km route from Valenciennes to Dunkirk options simply one class 4 climb and 800m of elevation achieve. The rollout is anticipated at 1.10pm CEST (12.10pm BST) and the end needs to be about 5.18pm CEST (4.18pm BST) – though typically the peloton go quicker than the anticipated speeds.
Does that imply it’ll be boring? Hopefully not. I believe it’ll be quick and, presumably, livid. The GC contenders can be vying to remain out of hassle, whereas the sprinters may have their eyes set on a stage win. There’s a prediction of windy situations too, which may trigger a little bit of rigidity within the peloton.
So, who would possibly trip to victory as we speak? Tim Merlier (Soudal Fast-Step) is a agency favorite with pundits, nevertheless it’ll be value maintaining a tally of Ineos Grenadiers’ Sam Watson with him having triumphed on the 4 Days of Dunkirk stage race in Might. Different sprinters seeking to contest a dash end? Clearly there’s stage one winner, Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), in addition to Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-Alula), Jordi Meeus (Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Wanty). Though the latter could be feeling sore after a crash on yesterday’s stage. I’d love to listen to your predictions so please e-mail me your ideas.
Whereas we anticipate the stay TV protection to kick off, right here’s Jeremy Whittle’s stage two race report from Boulogne-sur-Mer:
