After some audacious riding in atrocious conditions Recycling.co.uk / MG XPower / Litespeed’s Russell Downing today took his second stage of the Ruban Granitier Breton and finally took the leader’s jersey he has been chasing since his first win two days ago.
As the race reached the hilly finishing circuit, and with the rain pouring down, Downing and overnight leader Stéphane Pétilleau were the main animators of the stage, and in the finale the Frenchman made one last attack to temporarily ditch Downing before the South Yorkshireman made a huge effort to catch him in sight of the line and raise his arms in delight to take his second win in three days.
With the race leaders white and green leaders jersey firmly on his back Russ commented on a proud moment for the team “It’s our first big jersey in a big race, we’ll try our hardest to keep it”.
Stage 3 results
1 Russell Downing (GBr) Recycling.Co.Uk-Mg-Xpower-Litespeed – 4.13.57
2 Stéphane Petilleau (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch – 0.01
3 Patr Lazar (Cze) A.S.C Dukla Praha – 0.08
4 Alexandre Pichot (Fra) Vendee U-Pays De La Loire – 0.14
5 Stanislav Kozubek (Cze) A.S.C Dukla Praha – 0.17
6 Loïc Muhlemann (Swi) V.C Mendrisio Mapei – 0.19
General classification after stage 3
1 Russell Downing (GBr) Recycling.Co.Uk-Mg-Xpower-Litespeed -12.01.51
2 Stéphane Petilleau (Fra) G.S Bretagne Jean Floch @ 0.04
3 Patr Lazar (Cze) A.S.C Dukla Praha @ 0.41
