The Spaniard Pello Bilbao won the 3rd stage of the Tour Down Under ahead of Simon Yates and Jay Vine, who took the lead in the general classification.
New change of leader on the Tour Down Under! While Rohan Dennis had a double blow Thursday by winning the stage and taking first place in the general classification, it is now Jay Vine who is in charge, two days from the final finish, thanks to his third place on stage this Friday. The Australian finished behind Pello Bilbao and Simon Yates. The Spaniard joined Vine and Yates, who had accelerated earlier, in the Corkscrew hill, and then beat them in the sprint, after the descent where the three of them had collaborated to take as much time as possible. The main peloton came 28 seconds behind, with a sprint won by Michael Matthews, who still couldn’t win at home, while Rohan Dennis finished 1’24 behind the winner.
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For Pello Bilbao (soon to be 33 years old), it is a fifteenth career victory, he who has made a specialty of winning stages during races of a week or so (Tour of Turkey, Tour of the Alps , Tour of Germany…) but who had never won in Australia. The Basque is fifteen seconds behind Jay Vine before the last two stages and can therefore still dream of the final victory. On Saturday, 133 kilometers will be on the menu, with two fourth category climbs. First French overall, Hugo Page has dropped in the standings, he is now 16th at 1’03 behind the winner.
WORLD TOUR / TOUR DOWN UNDER (AUSTRALIE)
Classification of the 3rd stage (Norwood-Campbelltown, 116.8km) – Friday January 20, 2023
1- Pello Bilbao (ESP/Bahrain Victorious) in 2h48″10
2- Simon Yates (GBR/Jayco-AlUla) mt
3- Jay Vine (AUS/UAE Emirates) mt
4- Michael Matthews (AUS/Jayco-AlUla) at 28″
5- Sven Erik Bystrøm (NOR / Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) at 28″
6- Natnael Tesfazion (ERY/Trek-Segafredo) à 28″
7- Antonio Tiberi (ITA/Trek-Segafredo) at 28″
8- Milan Vader (PBS/Jumbo-Visma) at 28″
9- Ben O’Connor (AUS/AG2R Citroën) à 28″
10- Ethan Hayter (GBR / INEOS Grenadiers) at 28″
…
17- Victor Lafay (FRA/Cofidis) at 28″
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General classification (after 3 out of 5 stages)
1- Jay Vine (AUS/UAE Emirates) en 10h32’50
2- Pello Bilbao (ESP/Bahrain Victorious) at 15″
3- Simon Yates (GBR/Jayco-AlUla) at 16′′
4- Magnus Sheffield (USA/Ineos Grenadiers) at 45″
5- Mauro Schmid (SUI/Soudal Quick-Step) at 46″
6- Ethan Hayter (GBR / Ineos Grenadiers) at 50″
7- Sven Erik Bystrom (NOR / Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) at 54″
8- Antonio Tiberi (ITA/Trek-Segafredo) at 58″
9- Ben O’Connor (AUS/AG2R-Citroën) at 1’00
10- Gorka Izagirre (ESP/Movistr) at 1’01
…
16- Hugo Page (FRA / Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) at 1’03
…
