German sprinter takes two out of three stages in northern France race
After having been obstructed on the way to the line on stage two, John Degenkolb (Argos-Shimano) showed that he was the class of the sprinters at this year’s Tour de Picardie. The 23-year-old German was fastest to the line once again, in the third and final stage between Fressenneville and Maignelay-Montigny to confirm overall victory in the three-day northern French stage race.
Just half a length behind Degenkolb was New Zealander Greg Henderson (Lotto-Belisol), with stage two winner Kenny van Hummel (Vacansoleil-DCM) beating Sébastien Chavanel (Europcar) to third place.
As with the two previous stages, the flat Picardie terrain did not lend itself to successful breakaways, but that didn’t stop Leonardo Duque (Cofidis) escaping after 27 of the stage’s 171km. The Colombian sprinter was joined by Angel Madrazo (Movistar), Leif Hoste (Accent.jobs-Willems Verandas), Johan Le Bon (Bretagne-Schuller) and Brice Feillu (Saur-Sojasun).
Duque was the first over the top of both the Côte de Limercourt after 48.5km, and the Côte de Limeux after 52.5km, securing himself the overall victory in the climbers jersey classification. As they passed through the feedzone, in Nampty after 96km, the five riders were three minutes clear, before Argos-Shimano moved forward and picked up the pace of the peloton.
As they crossed the line in Maignelay-Montigny for the first time, to start the final 19.5km circuit, the gap had closed to 1’20”; Feillu made an attempt to get away alone, but all five riders were pulled back with ten kilometres to go, and a third sprint was inevitable.
Degenkolb’s second stage of the race confirmed his overall victory in the race, while bonus seconds for Duque at the intermediate sprint earned the Colombian a place on the podium to go with his polka-dot jersey.