Tour Colombia 2019: Molano sprints to victory in stage 3, Uran back in race lead

Stage 3 in the Tour Colombia is played out on a demanding circuit. The pace is high and the tough race takes its toll when leader Álvaro Hodeg is dropped. Eventually Fernando Gaviria stand-in Sebastián Molano powers to the win. Rigoberto Uran moves back into the GC lead. (Slideshow route/profile)

Results 3rd stage 2019 Tour Colombia

1. Sebastián Molano (col)
2. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) s.t.
3. Diego Ochoa (col) s.t.
5. Miguel Ángel López (col) s.t.
6. Egan Bernal (col) z.t
7. Edwin Ávila (col) s.t.
8. Miguel Flórez (col) s.t.
9. Juan Arango (col) s.t.
9. Richard Carapaz (ecu) s.t.
10. Edison Muñoz (col) s.t.

GC after stage 3
1. Rigoberto Uran (col)
2. Daniel Felipe Martínez (col) s.t.
3. Lawson Craddock (usa) s.t.
4. Julian Alaphilippe (fra) + 0.02
5. Egan Bernal (col) + 0.08
6. Bob Jungels (lux) s.t.
7. Jhonatan Narváez (ecu) + 0.09
8. Iván Sosa (col) + 0.10
9. Chris Froome (gbr) s.t.
10. Sebastián Henao (col) s.t.

Race report
The 3rd stage starts without Fernando Gaviria, who abandoned with a respiratory infection. But the remaining riders feel very well indeed and there is a lot of movement in the early kilometres.

Iván Sosa, Richard Carapaz, Miguel Ángel López, Cristian Muñoz, Dayer Quintana and Oscar Quiroz jump clear in the first ascent of Alto Nano. They are brought back before leader Álvaro Hodeg wins the first intermediate sprint ahead of Egan Bernal and Jonathan Narvaez.

At kilometre 50 the break finally takes shape when Fabio Duarte, William Muñoz, Brayan Ramírez, Nicolás Castro and Marvin Angarita open up a 5 minutes gap. Meanwhile, the tough race takes its toll and leader Hodeg gets dropped in the main group.

A reduced peloton gobbles up the attackers inside the last 20 kilometres before a phase with a lot of movement leads to a inevitable group sprint. Gaviria stand-in Sebastián Molano seizes the opportunity and powers to victory ahead of Julian Alaphilippe, who thus wins a time bonus of 6 seconds.

Rigoberto Uran moves back into first place in the same time as his team mates Daniel Felipe Martínez and Lawson Craddock with Julian Alaphilippe 2 seconds behind.

Ensuing read: route 3rd stage 2019 Tour Colombia.