BinckBank Tour 2018 Stage 3: Breakaway bests sprinters - stage win Taco van der Hoorn, Matej Mohoric new leader

The BinckBank Tour's 3rd stage travels from Aalter to Antwerp. The flat route runs entirely on Belgian soil, so a bunch sprint would have been the most likely outcome. But no. Taco van der Hoorn brings the early break home, while Matej Mohoric - the big engine in the front group - catapults into the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage 2018 BinckBank Tour

1. Taco van der Hoorn (nld)
2. Maxime Vantomme (bel) + 0.03
3. Sean De Bie (bel) s.t.
4. Matej Mohoric (slo) s.t.
5. Jesper Asselman (nld) + 0.35
6. Dylan Groenewegen (nld) + 1.11
7. Rüdiger Selig (ger) s.t.
8. Fabio Jakobsen (nld) s.t.
9. Maximilian Walscheid (ger) s.t.
10. Tom Van Asbroeck (bel) s.t.

GC after the 3rd stage

1. Matej Mohoric (slo)
2. Sean De Bie (bel) + 0.01
3. Stefan Küng (swi) + 0.19
4. Maxime Vantomme (bel) + 0.25
5. Taco van der Hoorn (nld) + 0.34
6. Victor Campenaerts (bel) + 0.33
7. Søren Kragh Andersen (den) + 0.34
8. Michael Matthews (aus) s.t.
9. Maximilian Schachmann (ger) + 0.38
10. Alex Dowsett (gbr) s.t.

18. Dylan van Baarle (nld) + 0.49
19. Mads Pedersen (den) + 0.50
20. Niki Terpstra (nld) s.t.
21. Tim Wellens (bel) s.t.
23. Lars Boom (nld) + 0.53
25. Greg Van Avermaet (bel) + 0.55
27. Sep Vanmarcke (bel) + 0.57
29. Jasper Stuyven (bel) + 1.00
32. Michael Valgren (den) + 1.01

Race report
Five riders open up a gap early on. Matej Mohoric, Taco van der Hoorn, Jesper Asselman, Maxime Vantomme and Sean De Bie race to a lead of almost 5 minutes before the peloton starts to reel them in. Yet, with Mohoric as the big engine in the front group the pack is struggling to close down the gap.

The Slovenian takes 9 bonus seconds in the Golden Kilometre.

With 5 kms out the gap is still 2 minutes and in the ensuing cat-and-mouse play Van der Hoorn strikes in the last km. Mohoric tries to close the gap, but he doesn’t make it. He looks round, but no one comes through. Van der Hoorn powers to the win and behind him Vantomme outsprints De Bie. Mohoric is fourth to cross the line and he is the new overall leader, 1 second ahead of De Bie.