Theo Bos (Belkin Pro Cycling) sprinted to stage three success at the Tour of Poland as Petr Vakoc (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) maintained his overall lead.

Belkin hit the front and set the pace for much of the three laps, though they appeared to have lost position at the crucial time – Bos being left isolated at the crucial time.

However, Bos surged through in the final sprint to beat Luka Mezgec (Giant-Shimano) and Michael Matthews (Orica-GreenEDGE).

After the surprise of Vakoc winning solo on stage two, the break – which was formed of four riders – was given much less leeway.

Salvatore Puccio (Team Sky) was part of the quartet, which once again also contained one rider each from the Polish national team – Pawel Franczak – and one from CCC Polsat Polkowice in Mateusz Taciak.

Giro d’Italia breakaway regular Bjorn Thurau (Team Europcar) rounded off the quartet, but with Omega Pharma-Quickstep leading the bunch they were never allowed more than four minutes’ advantage.

That lead had been brought right down with 20 kilometres to go, Omega Pharma-Quickstep – with Belkin also bringing riders forward – leaving them hanging within sight just in front of the bunch.

Belkin continued to lead the charge on the front of the bunch and they swallowed up the four escapees no sooner had they crossed the finish line for the first time.

With a narrow finishing circuit, the Dutch team’s tactic of hitting the front served them well in terms of securing road position, but they had plenty of company on the nose, including riders from Team Sky.

Disaster nearly struck in bizarre circumstances moments later however, when an air bridge popped over the road just a couple of hundred metres in front of the bunch.

Dragging debris onto the road with it, much of the wreckage was cleared but with some unexpected obstacles to negotiate the peloton’s bike handling skills were put to the test – fortunately all passing their unlikely examination.

Belkin continued to lead the way, as the pace was picked up, but with the peloton stretched across the full width of the road as they crossed the finish line for the penultimate time the pressure was on to hold their position for Theo Bos.

As they passed under the finishing barrier, however, the first audacious attack was launched as Sam Bewley (Orica-GreenEDGE) burst off the front of the bunch.

The move did enough to disrupt the bunch, with Bos losing position despite team-mate Jack Bobridge – fresh from his Commonwealth Games success – bringing Bewley into check.

Sky and Orica-GreenEDGE looked to seize the advantage at the front, both bringing their fast men forward with their lead-outs.

Lotto-Belisol seized road position as Pim Ligthart put in a huge shift on the front however, while Thor Hushovd’s BMC Racing lead-out also surged forward.

A messy bunch sprint ensued, elbows aplenty, as Giant-Shimano hit the front under the flamme rouge.

Their move forward looked to have paid off as a touching of wheels on a corner caused splits in the bunch – Ben Swift (Team Sky) hitting the deck in the incident.

With Mezgec having boasted two lead-out men in front of him, the Slovenian led the sprint out, with Bos at fourth wheel, but the Dutchman launched at the same time powering through on Mezgec’s left-hand side.

And with ten metres to go, Bos found the extra gear he needed to earn the stage win – surging past Mezgec to seal his seventh victory of the season, and first on the WorldTour.

Tour of Poland 2014: stage three – result

1) Theo Bos (NED) – Belkin Pro Cycling – 3.39.27hrs
2) Luka Mezgec (SVN) – Giant-Shimano – ST
3) Michael Matthews (AUS) – Orica-GreenEDGE
4) Sacha Modolo (ITA) – Lampre-Merida
5) Thor Hushovd (NOR) – BMC Racing
6) Tyler Farrar (USA) – Garmin-Sharp
7) Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR) – Ag2r-La Mondiale
8) Jonas van Genechten (BEL) – Lotto-Belisol
9) Davide Appollonio (ITA) – Ag2r-La Mondiale
10) Roberto Ferrari (ITA) – Lampre-Merida

General classification

1) Petr Vakoc (CZE) – Omega Pharma-Quickstep – 14.50.55hrs
2) Yauheni Hutarovich (BLR) – Ag2r-La Mondiale +27”
3) Theo Bos (NED) – Belkin Pro Cycling – ST
4) Roman Maikin (RUS) – RusVelo +31”
5) Luka Mezgec (SVN) – Giant-Shimano – ST
6) Boris Vallee (BEL) – Lotto-Belisol +33”
7) Manuele Mori (ITA) – Lampre-Merida – ST
8) Maciej Paterski (POL) – CCC Polsat Polkowice +35”
9) Grzegorz Stepniak (POL) – CCC Polsat Polkowice +37”
10) Marco Haller (AUT) – Katusha – ST