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Serge Pauwels leads home Dimension Data one-two to win Tour de Yorkshire 2017

Former Team Sky man wins stage three in Sheffield after climb-laden finale to claim overall victory

Serge Pauwels led home a Dimension Data one-two in Sheffield as he won the third and final stage of the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire to claim overall victory.

Pauwels attacked on the Cote de Wigtwizzle, the second of four short, steep climbs packed into the final 20km, to open up a solo lead.

And as the chasing group behind him thinned out, only team-mate Omar Fraile was left to bridge across after the final climb of Midhopestones.

With a ten-second advantage on the chasing group, the only question remaining would be which of the Dimension Data riders would be claiming the team’s second consecutive victory on British soil, after Steve Cummings’ Tour of Britain win.

And that was answered when Fraile allowed Pauwels to ride ahead – both men lifting their arms in unison to celebrate victory.

Serge Pauwels leads home team-mate Omar Fraile to win stage three of the 2017 Tour de Yorkshire and claim overall victory (pic – Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

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.

Madison-Genesis’ Matthew Holmes was the highest placed British rider overall, finishing fifth (pic – Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

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).

Team Sky and Direct Energie looked after the pace-setting behind, with Hayman’s presence up the road ensuring Orica-Scott – despite holding the leader’s jersey with Caleb Ewan – did not need to chase.

At the top of the brutally steep, cobbled Shibden Wall ascent – which Roompot’s Pieter Weening led the way across – the gap was three minutes, though Williams was out of contention after an unfortunately-timed wheel change.

Team Sky and Dimension Data had cut that down to half by the time the race reached Holmfirth, however, and the break was over before the final, brutal circuit.

The cobbled Shibden Wall climb resembled a scene from the Spring Classics, with fans packed into to line the ascent (pic – Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com)

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.

Pauwels’ overall win is Dimension Data’s second consecutive success on British soil, after Steve Cummings won last year’s Tour of Britian (pic – Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com)

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”

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