PHILIPSEN DELIVERS TO TAKE TOUR STAGE THREE AS YATES RETAINS YELLOW

Reuters

Belgian Jasper Philipsen carried his early-season form into the Tour de France to win the third stage, a 193.5-km ride from Amorebieta Etxano, Spain, on Monday.

Perfectly set up by his Alpecin-Deceuninck team mate Mathieu van der Poel, Philipsen came out on top in a long sprint, beating German Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Victorious) and Australian Caleb Ewan (Lotto Dstny), who were second and third respectively.

Briton Adam Yates, who won the opening stage on Saturday, retained the overall leader's yellow jersey as the race entered France through the Basque country.

ADAM BEATS TWIN BROTHER SIMON IN YATES ONE-TWO ON TOUR'S OPENING

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Reuters 

Britain's Adam Yates pipped his own twin brother Simon to claim the opening stage of the Tour de France and don the first yellow jersey of this year's race at the end of a 182.5-km loop around Bilbao on Saturday.

Adam got the better of his identical twin to claim his first grand tour stage win, while his UAE Emirates team leader Tadej Pogacar finished third, also raising his arms in celebration.

Yates, who had set a devilish pace for Pogacar on the brutal climb shortly before the finish, pushed on in the descent to Bilbao, joined by his brother who is riding for the Jayco-AIUla team and already has two Tour de France stage wins to his name.

Adam was the stronger in the final uphill drag to prevail by four seconds, with Pogacar, who showed great legs in his first stage race since breaking a wrist in April, crossed the line 12 seconds off the pace.