The Trois Etapes Tour 2015 finished in astonishing style with Team NOMAN defeating their nearest rivals, Team Opportunity International Black, by just six seconds to take the Tourmalet and, ultimately, the title of Tour champions. Their narrow stage victory ensured a sensational Trois Etapes double for the team, taking both the Giro and Tour titles in 2015.
Watch video highlights of Stage 3 now.
TENSION ON THE TOURMALET
With four teams in contention for the overall title at the start of the day, Stage 3 promised fireworks. And how we got them! At the front of the race, Mtn-Qhubeka’s Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg dominated, dropping fastest amateur Gunther Zechmann, around 6km from the peak. Behind them, Team NOMAN’s pro, Thomas Desonay and amateur rider, Toby Davies, put in massive, all-important performances to take 4th and 5th places, respectively.
With the times of all eight team riders counting, teams took different approaches to the formidable slope. Some worked together in small groups while others allowed their stronger riders to break away. Notable performances came from Team dZi Foundation’s pro, 18-year-old Eli Kranefuss, who finished 3rd and Team Prostate Cancer UK-Bloomberg’s pro rider, Sharon Laws, who finished in 22nd position, just two places behind Jens Voigt.
PEAK POSITION FOR NOMAN
The day’s riding will live long in the memory for its explosive action, with each team pushing hard for points and riding aggressively to gain seconds from each other. Many will remember the noise of the crowds as riders crossed the finish line, the outpouring of emotion once it was all over or the look on Jensie’s face as he was asked for yet another photo by a tourist!