Romain Feillu is on a roll, taking his second consecutive win in the Tour Méditerranéen. Feillu beat Yauheni Hutarovich and Alexander Porsev on the short 128-kilometer stage between Carnoux and La Farlede. Feillu's ten-second time bonus erased the three-second advantage that Thomas Voeckler had held after the previous stage. Voeckler is now second overall, seven seconds back, with Laurent Mangel in third, at eleven seconds.
It almost didn't look like a win for Feillu shortly before the finish, as he flatted with nine kilometers to go. But Jens Mouris did a superb job to bring his Vacansoleil teammate back to the front of the race and into the thick of the action. Feillu then used his speed and experience to hold off the other sprinters.
Sports director Hilaire Van Der Schueren was content with the outcome after the race. "With 50 kilometers to go, Joost van Leijen, Frederik Veuchelen and Mouris started to ride after the escape." Tom Peterson (Garmin-Cervélo) was the one who had gotten away after a little more than 50 kilometers, with his maximum gap at four and a half minutes.
Peterson was caught late, but with still enough time for the teams to set up their trains. "They caught him with 12 kilometers to go and Romain finished it off," Van Der Schueren said. Feillu was lucky that his flat tire didn't cost him the chance to sprint for the win.
That honor went to Mangel, who suffered a flat tire inside the 500-meter mark. He was in the neutral zone, so was credited with the winner's time of three hours and six seconds.
The sprinters are now being sidelined, but Vacansoleil is keen on continuing its success story. "For the hilly weekend, we have strong riders in Wouter Poels and Rob Ruijgh," Van Der Schueren said.
Results stage three
1. FEILLU Romain VCD 3h00'06"
2. HUTAROVICH Yauheni FDJ
3. PORSEV Alexander KAT
4. JULES Justin LPM
5. APPOLLONIO Davide SKY
6. BLAIN Alexandre EDR
7. CHAVANEL Sébastien EUC
8. DUQUE Leonardo Fabio COF
9. DE JONGE Maarten EDR
10. MARTIAS Rony
Overall after stage three
1 FEILLU Romain (FRA) VCD VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM 8:31'09
2 VOECKLER Thomas (FRA) EUC TEAM EUROPCAR 8:31'16 7
3 MANGEL Laurent (FRA) SOJ SAUR SOJASUN 8:31'20 11
4 VAUBOURZEIX Thomas (FRA) LPM V.C. LA POMME MARSEILLE 8:31'22 13
5 HUTAROVICH Yauheni (BLR) FDJ LA FRANCAISE DES JEUX 8:31'23 14
6 APPOLLONIO Davide (ITA) SKY SKY PROCYCLING 8:31'23 14
7 PORSEV Alexander (RUS) KAT KATUSHA TEAM 8:31'25 16
8 PAURIOL Rémi (FRA) FDJ LA FRANCAISE DES JEUX 8:31'26 17
9 IRIARTE Francisco Javier (ESP) MOV MOVISTAR TEAM 8:31'26 17
10 JULES Justin (FRA) LPM V.C. LA POMME MARSEILLE 8:31'29 20