Three British riders were in the chasing group behind – Team Sky neo-pro Tao Geoghegan Hart, Madison-Genesis’ Matthew Holmes and Aqua Blue Sport’s Manxman Mark Christian – but it was Direct Energie’s Jonathan Hivert who won the sprint for third place.

Thanks to bonus seconds, Pauwels claimed overall victory as a result – six seconds ahead of Fraile, and a further second clear of Hivert.

Holmes, Christian and Geoghegan Hart finished fifth, seventh and eighth overall respectively, all 20 seconds in arrears.

Earlier, a seven-man break had gone clear on the undulating route, with Brits Johnny McEvoy (Madison-Genesis), Dexter Gardias (Bike Channel-Canyon) and Pete Williams (ONE Pro Cycling) present, alongside 2016 Paris-Roubaix winner Mat Hayman (Orica-Scott).

A significantly thinned-out peloton hit those final 18km together, with Hivert – who started the day in fifth – the virtual race leader after bagging maximum bonus seconds at the final intermediate sprint.

Defending champion Thomas Voeckler (Direct Energie) was among the riders shelled out on the first of the final four climbs, Deepcar, as the front group continued to be whittled down on the Classics-like final circuit.

When Jacques Janse van Rensburg hit the front on Wigtwizzle the lead group was down to just 15 riders, and even more had paid the price of the day’s efforts before Pauwels bolted clear over the top.

The Belgian former Team Sky rider remained clear over Ewden Height – stretching his lead to 30 seconds – though that had been clawed back by the efforts of BMC Racing duo Brent Bookwalter and Joey Rosskopf as they reached Midhopestones.

With Fraile disrupting the chase, however, Pauwels retained his steady advantage and the Spaniard’s surprise, unchecked effort to bridge across ensured Dimension Data would be celebrating victory.

Tour de Yorkshire 2017: stage three – result

1) Serge Pauwels (BEL) – Dimension Data – 4.57.47hrs
2) Omar Fraile (ESP) – Dimension Data – ST
3) Jonathan Hivert (FRA) – Direct Energie +6”
4) Brent Bookwalter (USA) – BMC Racing – ST
5) Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBR) – Team Sky +8”
6) Maurits Lammertink (NED) – Katusha-Alpecin – ST
7) Matthew Holmes (GBR) – Madison-Genesis
8) Mark Christian (GBR) – Aqua Blue Sport
9) Lennard Hofstede (NED) – Team Sunweb
10) Joey Rosskopf (USA) – BMC Racing +23”

General classificiation

1) Serge Pauwels (BEL) – Dimension Data – 11.53.04hrs
2) Omar Fraile (ESP) – Dimension Data +6”
3) Jonathan Hivert (FRA) – Direct Energie +7”
4) Brent Bookwalter (USA) – BMC Racing +18”
5) Matthew Holmes (GBR) – Madison-Genesis +20”
6) Maurits Lammertink (NED) – Katusha-Alpecin – ST
7) Mark Christian (GBR) – Aqua Blue Sport
8) Lennard Hofstede (NED) – Team Sunweb
9) Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBR) – Team Sky
10) Joey Rosskopf (USA) – BMC Racing +35”