 Garmin-Cervelo rider Tyler Farrar (centre) rides during the final sprint flanked by Movistar rider Jose Rojas (right) of Spain and Vacansoleil rider Romain Feillu of France after the third stage of the Tour de France on Monday, July 4, 2011. (REUTERS/Denis Balibouse) |
REDON, France -- American Tyler Farrar won a sprint to the finish to capture Stage 3 of the 2011 Tour de France, while Garmin-Cervelo teammate Thor Hushovd of Norway held on to the yellow jersey.
Farrar secured his first Tour de France stage victory by covering the 198- kilometer trek from Olonne-sur-Mer to Redon in a time of 4 hours, 40 minutes and 21 seconds, fending off a late charge by Frenchman Romain Feillu and Spaniard Jose Joaquin Rojas.
As he crossed the finish line, Farrar held up his hands to form a "W" with his fingers to honor good friend Wouter Weylandt, the Belgian who died in a crash during the Giro d'Italia in May.
"This one is for Wouter. It's been a big loss. It's been a rough few months for me since...but I wanted to be good here in the Tour and try to do something to remember him and so I'm happy that I was able to do it," Farrar said.
Hushovd, who donned the yellow jersey a day earlier after Garmin-Cervelo won the team time trial, was part of the group of 172 riders that clocked the same time as Farrar and sits atop the overall standings with a time of nine hours, 46 minutes and 46 seconds. He retained his split-second edge over teammate David Millar of Britain, while Australian Cadel Evans of Team BMC remained in third, only one second behind.
Two-time defending champion Alberto Contador of Spain is 69th overall, one minute and 42 seconds off Hushovd's pace.
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Tuesday's Stage 4 is a 172.5-kilometer trek from Lorient to Mur-de-Bretagne.