CALVI, Corsica (AP) — Australian sprinter Simon Gerrans held off a late charge by Peter Sagan to win Monday’s hilly third stage of the Tour de France by less than half a wheel.
Gerrans looked to have the finish line in sight with about 100 meters to go, but Sagan had a late sprint and almost caught him. But Gerrans dug deep to clinch his second career Tour stage win. Spaniard Jose Joaquin Rojas finished third.
Jan Bakelants, the winner of Sunday’s second stage, kept the yellow jersey.
Monday’s 90-mile trek started from Ajaccio, where French emperor and military mastermind Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769, and finished in Calvi after three moderate climbs and a steeper last climb tested the legs of the peloton.
