Noah Hobbs (Groupama-FDJ Continental) won, this Friday, the third stage of the Alpes Isère Tour (2.2), contested between Saint-Exupéry Airport and Genas (Rhône) over a distance of 155.3 kilometers (see the ranking). Killian Verschuren (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale DT) retains his yellow leader’s jersey.
Find the reactions collected by DirectVelo after arrival.
Reactions
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Leader of the general classification
“It was a pretty hectic day for the first hour and a half of racing. It attacked from everywhere, we tried to filter but each time it came back and then it started again. In a bump there are four riders starting, that suited us. With Daniel Nielsen, Oscar Chamberlain and Arthur Blaise we controlled well afterwards. We are trying to protect me with Tom Donnenwirth for the days to come. It was a bit of a rest day before the hard weekend ahead.
We were looking to have a safe breakaway at the front to control behind. Then the teams of sprinters came to help us at the end so we were able to catch up with the guys at the front.
It’s the first time I’ve worn the yellow jersey even though I’ve already won a stage race (Tour de la Vallée Montluçonnaise, Editor’s note), obviously that means something. In the peloton there is a little more respect for me, it’s something special. I hope to keep it until Sunday.”
K. VERSCHUREN
3rd of the stage
“I’m missing a little in the last tens of meters to win but these are my first races after a long period of stopping. The team did a great job again. When the condition improves, I hope to be able to win fairly quickly. I was perfectly placed at the start of the sprint, the only problem today was my legs. Of course it’s not victory but I’m happy with a podium.”
G. EPIS
5th of the stage
“We managed well with the team all day and we kept the jersey, that was the objective. I tried to go for the sprint but since my fall at the Tour de Bretagne, I’m a little scared but there, it was a little wide so I said to myself why not.
I went back two kilometers by myself, I got on the trains. But when I saw the islets 600 meters away, I braked a little, I was afraid. I start the sprint 20th but I was going faster than everyone, if I don’t brake at the islets, I think I win. It’s nice to be able to sprint again. I had a good day, I rode well with a sprint at the end, that will be more for later.
My personal goals come second to those of the team. If there is an opening why not but that’s all to keep the jersey. Yesterday I pedaled on the hardest bump. I found myself with the three Kern Pharma. At worst, they brought me back and we found ourselves with three of the team too, at best they brought me back to 10″ in the next bump, I was shot and I came back alone. But they did not come back closer than 30″, it was too far to make the jump”.
N. ISIDORE
6th
“I’m a little mixed. Today was a stage for me but I still had a lot of fatigue from yesterday’s stage. On the climbs I was a little limited, I’m happy to be present in the final and to get a good place but with fatigue it was too hard to do better today. The real problem was my day yesterday with our return on the breakaway which really hurt my legs.
It’s a bit frustrating, but I want to do my best on every stage and yesterday that was the case. Yesterday I gave my best, tomorrow is another stage that suits me so we will still do our best. We’ll see what happens tomorrow, it’s at least as hard as today. It might be a sprint or I’ll try to take the breakaway.”
Mr PAJUR
