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Kittel wins a third Tour stage

July 8, 2014

German cycling's sprint ace Marcel Kittel has claimed a third stage win in the first stretch of this year's Tour de France to take place on French soil. However, Italy's Vincenzo Nibali still has the yellow jersey.

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Marcel Kittel, Tour de France
Image: AFP/Getty Images

Kittel crossed the finish line in Lille ahead by only a half-wheel length, at the end of a 163.5-kilometer (101.4-mile) stretch that began in the coastal town of Le Touquet.

Norway's Alexander Kristoff finished in second place, and Frenchman Arnaud Demare came in third. The Italian Vincenzo Nibali holds onto the overall leader's yellow jersey, retaining a two-second lead.

The victory was hard won for Kittel, who, like the other riders, had to contend with fierce crosswinds. The 26-year-old - who completed the course in 3 hours, 36 minutes and 39 seconds - said he was surpassing his own expectations, having won three out of four stages so far.

"I said my goal was to win one stage," Kittel, who won four in last year's Tour De France, said after the race. "It's very unique and not something you can expect every time. I'm very happy it's working so well."

Falls in the chasing pack

The Tour's defending champion, Chris Froome, fell early in the stage, after another rider bumped into his front wheel, but did rejoin the race soon after and remains in the chasing pack. The Slovak star Peter Sagan also went down in an accident and recovered.

Ahead of the stage, 2010 winner Andy Schleck dropped out of the Tour because of a crash injury.

Tuesday's stage was the first of the Tour to take place in France after a three-stage sojourn in England. Kittel won the first stage in Harrogate, at the end of the 2014 Tour's Grand Depart from Leeds. The burly German also claimed victory in the third stage of the race from Cambridge to London.

rc/mkg (AFP, AP, Reuters)