Caleb Ewan (Orica-Scott) doubled up at the 2017 Tour of Britain by winning a rain-soaked stage three to reclaim the green jersey.
After Elia Viviani was awarded the win on stage two, and claimed the race lead in the process, following Edvald Boasson Hagen’s relegation, Ewan bounced back to win the uphill sprint in Scunthorpe ahead of the Norwegian.
With Viviani seventh in the bunch sprint, Ewan’s bonus seconds means the Australian is back into the race lead, six seconds clear of the Italian.
Boasson Hagen, who had the race lead snatched from him as a result of his stage disqualification – for not sticking to his sprinting line – is third at seven seconds.
Philippe Gilbert (QuickStep Floors) looked to have stolen a march on the bunch on the uphill finish, but Ewan closed down the attack before bursting out of the Belgian’s wheel and sprinting to victory.
Earlier, a five-man break had gone clear with all four domestic teams represented – Ian Bibby and Graham Briggs (JLT-Condor), Matt Holmes (Madison-Genesis), Harry Tanfield (BIKE Channel-Canyon) and Pete Williams (ONE Pro Cycling) forming the quintet.
Briggs set his stall out immediately, as he spent his second consecutive day in the break, adding to his points tallies in the sprints and mountains classifications.
With team-mate Bibby’s assistance, the Yorkshireman won all three intermediate sprints and led the way over the first two climbs.
A big attack from Tanfield eventually put paid to Briggs’ attacking, but Bibby crested the final climb first to ensure his team-mate now leads both classifications.
The race came back together inside the final ten kilometres, meanwhile, and looked set for a sprint finish, until Gilbert’s attack briefly looked to have derailed the fast men’s hopes.
His long-range attempt came up short, however, as Ewan surged past and held off Boasson Hagen behind him to claim the stage win.
Alongside being his second stage win of this year’s race, it is his third win in four at the Tour of Britain, having also won the final stage of last year’s race.
1) Caleb Ewan (AUS) – Orica-Scott – 4.04.05hrs
2) Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) – Dimension Data – ST
3) Alexander Kristoff (NOR) – Katusha-Alpecin
4) Brenton Jones (AUS) – JLT-Condor
5) Mads Wurtz Schmidt (DEN) – Katusha-Alpecin
6) Andrea Pasqualon (ITA) – Wanty-Groupe Gobert
7) Elia Viviani (ITA) – Team Sky
8) Philippe Gilbert (BEL) – QuickStep Floors
9) Daniele Bennati (ITA) – Movistar
10) Nikolas Maes (BEL) – Lotto-Soudal
1) Caleb Ewan (AUS) – Orica-Scott – 13.54.34hrs
2) Elia Viviani (ITA) – Team Sky +6”
3) Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) – Dimension Data +7”
4) Karol Domagalski (POL) – ONE Pro Cycling +14”
5) Silvan Dillier (SUI) – BMC Racing +15”
6) Kamil Gradek (POL) – ONE Pro Cycling – ST
7) Alexander Kristoff (NOR) – Katusha-Alpecin +16”
8) Fernando Gaviria (COL) – QuickStep Floors – ST
9) Lars Boom (NED) – LottoNL-Jumbo +18”
10) Zdenek Stybar (CZE) – QuickStep Floors +20”
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