Australian rider Robbie McEwen of the Lotto team won today's third stage of the Tour de France. The riders entered Reims after a 174km ride from Metz and McEwen came out of the slipstream of the leading pack to hold off the challenge of German rider Erik Zabel of the Telekom team.
It was only McEwen's second ever stage victory and moves him into second place overall, while Zabel takes over the yellow jersey.
"The greatest day in my career was on the Champs-Elysees in 1999, but this is my best win this season," said McEwen shortly afterwards. "The longer you have to wait for one (a stage win) the more frustrating it is, I might even get to wear the green jersey tomorrow because Erik's got the yellow. We were riding into a head-wind all day so I knew I could go for it a bit further out."
Filed by Johnny Proby
