Now 42, veteran German hardman Jens Voigt has announced this will be his final year in the professional peloton – but it would seem he is determined not to go out with a whimper. After two relatively quiet days, Voigt chose his moment to attack and treated his fans to another extended view of him leading a break. Voigt said in a pre-race interview that he will miss riding alongside his younger counterparts and passing on experience. For 24-year-old Travis Meyer (Drapac) and 26-year-old Jerome Cousin (Europcar), they will have done well to watch and learn from their fellow escapee today.

Although always doomed to failure due to the presence of GC contender, Andriy Grivko (Astana), who started the day just 21 seconds behind overall leader Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEDGE), Voigt earned yet another combativity award for his efforts. He may be 42, but the German hardman clearly has no desire to allow his final season to pass quietly. Expect plenty more from the Jensie before he climbs from the saddle next winter.