A super-fast start to the race saw Stannard power the breakaway, as the quartet of House, Briggs, Matt Cronshaw (Madison-Genesis) and the Team Sky man went clear.

With no threat to Vermote’s overall lead, the peloton – with Etixx-QuickStep having lost Adrien Costa overnight – were happy to let them go.

Three riders, namely Jack Bauer (Cannondale-Drapac), Emiel Wastyn and Damien Shaw (An Post-Chain Reaction) gave chase but to no avail.

Cronshaw lost contact with the other breakaway riders on the Brickworks climb, as the advantage sat at more than six minutes.

House led Briggs through the park gates, meanwhile, as he and his former team-mate eyed each other down the final straight.

Briggs proved the faster sprinter, however, to claim second place while the sprinters fought for the minor placings from the peloton and took the chance to test their sprint trains – Nicola Ruffoni (Bardiani-CSF) edging out Danny van Poppel (Team Sky).

Vermote was safely in the peloton, meanwhile, maintaining his six-second advantage over Steve Cummings (Dimension Data) overall.

Tour of Britain 2016: stage three – result

1) Ian Stannard (GBR) – Team Sky – 4.14.12hrs
2) Graham Briggs (GBR) – JLT-Condor +1.46
3) Kristian House (GBR) – ONE Pro Cycling – ST
4) Nicola Ruffoni (ITA) – Bardiani-CSF +5.43
5) Danny van Poppel (NED) – Team Sky – ST
6) Ramon Sinkeldam (NED) – Giant-Alpecin – ST
7) Chris Latham (GBR) – Team Wiggins
8) Rick Zabel (GER) – BMC Racing
9) Dylan van Baarle (NED) – Cannondale-Drapac
10) Luka Mezgec (SVN) – Orica-BikeExchange

General classification

1) Julien Vermote (BEL) – Etixx-QuickStep – 13.53.15hrs
2) Steve Cummings (GBR) – Dimension Data +6”
3) Daniel Martin (IRL) – Etixx-QuickStep +1.04
4) Ben Swift (GBR) – Team Sky +1.08
5) Xandro Meurisse (BEL) – Wanty-Groupe Gobert – ST
6) Tony Gallopin (FRA) – Lotto-Soudal
7) Dylan van Baarle (NED) – Cannondale-Drapac +1.12
8) Guillaume Martin (FRA) – Wanty-Groupe Gobert – ST
9) Tom Dumoulin (NED) – Giant-Alpecin
10) Nicolas Roche (IRL) – Team Sky +1.16