Dan Martin (UAE Team Emirates) jumped up 54 places in the overall standings at the Tour de France, with both he and first cousin Nicolas Roche (Team Sunweb) riding strongly on the tough stage to Épernay.
The 215 kilometre leg included several short, sharp climbs in the finale, as well as twisting, tricky descents. The Irish riders bided their time, allowing others to expend energy during the stage as they saved energy for later in the race.
Martin is aiming for a high overall classification and although the course had echoes of the Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Il Lombardia Classics he has won in the past, he kept his powder dry in the finale. He rolled in 31st with Roche close by in 44th place, 31 seconds behind the solo winner Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep). Only 54 riders finished in the main bunch, with the rest of the field scattered behind them.
A gap between the riders between 12th and 13th, namely Team Ineos duo Egan Bernal and defending champion Geraint Thomas, saw Thomas and those behind him concede five seconds to Bernal. The 22 year old Colombian is tipped for possible success in the race.
Roche jumps up 21 places in the overall standings to 19th overall, one minute behind new race leader Alaphilippe. Martin moved up 54 positions and is now 38th, one minute 28 seconds back. He and his squad had lost time to many others in Sunday’s team time trial, but is now moving up the general classification again.
Tour de France (WorldTour)
Stage 3, Binche to Épernay: 1, Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) at 4 hours 40 mins 29 secs; 2, M. Matthews (Team Sunweb) at 26 secs; 3, J. Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo); 4, G. Van Avermaet (CCC Team); 5, P. Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe); 6, M. Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) all same time.
Irish: 31, D. Martin (UAE Team Emirates) at 31 secs (gap after 12th place); 44, N. Roche (Team Sunweb) same time.
General classification: 1, Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep) 9 hours 32 mins 19 secs; 2, W. Van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) at 20 secs; 3, S. Kruijswijk (Team Jumbo-Visma) at 25 secs; 4, G. Bennett (Team Jumbo-Visma) same time; 5, M. Matthews (Team Sunweb) at 40 secs; 6, E. Bernal (Team Ineos) same time.
Irish: 19, N. Roche (Team Sunweb) at 1 min (up 21 places); 38, D. Martin (UAE Team Emirates) at 1 min 28 secs (up 54 places).
Points classification: 1, Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) 76 pts; 2, M. Matthews (Team Sunweb) 59; 3, S. Colbrelli (Bahrain-Merida) 54.
Mountains classification: 1, Tim Wellens (Lotto Soudal) 7 pts; 2, X. Meurisse (Wanty-Gobert) 3; 3, G. Van Avermaet (CCC Team) 2.
Young riders classification: 1, Wout Van Aert (Team Jumbo-Visma) 9 hours 32 mins 39 secs; 2, E. Bernal (Team Ineos) at 20 secs; 3, E. Mas (Deceuninck-QuickStep) at 26 secs.
Teams classification: 1, Team Jumbo-Visma, 29 hours 7 mins 4 secs; 2, Team Sunweb, at 1 min 44 secs; 3, EF Education First, at 1 min 57 secs.
Other: 13, UAE Team Emirates, at 5 mins 8 secs.
