Tim Merlier claimed victory in stage three of the Tour de France in Dunkirk after the unexpected crash of points classification leader Jasper Philipsen. Philipsen abandoned the race following a collision caused by Bryan Coquard during an intermediate sprint. The competitive spirit of the stage diminished due to the absence of Philipsen, rendering the race uneventful. The French riders struggled to make a notable impact, with the stage lacking any significant breakaways or competitive attacks. Tadej Pogacar's team found a slight advantage as Tim Wellens pushed ahead on the only climb.
Tim Merlier won the third stage of the Tour de France in Dunkirk after Jasper Philipsen crashed out of the race 60 kilometers before the finish. Merlier's win was overshadowed by another crash involving his team leader, Remco Evenepoel, who managed to continue despite the incident.
The stage was marked by an incident caused by Bryan Coquard, whose actions during an intermediate sprint led to Philipsen's crash and eventual abandonment. With the main sprinter out of contention, the stage became less competitive and lacked excitement.
Furthermore, the French riders in the peloton have not performed strongly, with their involvement mainly related to causing crashes rather than making significant contributions to the race. The overall tone of the stage was uneventful, leading to no award for the most combative rider.
Defending champion Tadej Pogacar, on the other hand, benefited from the situation, seeing one of his key riders, Tim Wellens, move ahead of the peloton as they approached the stage's only climb.
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