Dubai Tour 2017: Degenkolb takes echelon-marked 3rd stage, Kittel still leader

At 200 kilometres, stage 3 in the Dubai Tour offers the longest route in current edition. The echelon-marked race boils down to a bunch sprint with John Degenkolb powering to victory. Marcel Kittel retains in the overall lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage 2017 Dubai Tour

1. John Degenkolb (ger)
2. Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (rsa) s.t.
3. Sonny Colbrelli (ita) s.t.
4. Juan José Lobato (spa) s.t.
5. Riccardo Minali (ita) s.t.
6. Jean-Pierre Drucker (lux) s.t.
7. Elia Viviani (ita) s.t.
8. Dylan Groenewegen (nld) s.t.
9. Adam Blythe (gbr) s.t.
10. Daniele Bennati (ita) s.t.

GC after 3rd stage
1. Marcel Kittel (ger)
2. Dylan Groenewegen (nld) + 0.08
3. John Degenkolb (ger) + 0.10
4. Nicola Boem (ita) + 0.13
5. Jean-Pierre Drucker (lux) + 0.14
6. Reinardt Janse van Rensburg (rsa) s.t.
7. Alex Dowsett (gbr) s.t.
8. Thomas Stewart (gbr) s.t.
9. Jakub Mareczko (ita) + 0.16
10. Mark Cavendish (gbr) s.t.

Race report
It takes 20 kms right break to get clear. Alex Dowsett, Luka Pibernik, Loïc Vliegen and Mark Christian are off en they race to a maximum lead of 6 minutes before the eloton is ripped apart by echelons and crashes.

Kittel winds up in the third peloton along with Groenewegen and Degenkolb, yet they manage to get back. When they hook up with the first chasing group the leaders are 2 minutes adrift. The gap drops further to a half a minute before it picks up again to 5 minutes.

With 3 kms left the break away is history and it’s all systems go towards the bunch sprint. Due to a hard race and undulating finale the likes of Kittel and Cav are nowhere to be seen and Degenkolb grabs the opportunity to sprint to victory.

Thanks to a time bonus of 10 seconds Degenkolb is now closing in on his former team-mate Kittel. Tomorrow’s stage takes in an arrival on top of the punchy Hatta Dam, which could turn out to be decisive. Two year’s ago, Degenkolb powered to victory on the ramps of up to 17%.