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Lausanne - OricaGreenedge's Michael Albasini bagged his second straight win on the Tour de Romandie to consolidate his overall lead on Thursday's third stage.
The Swiss prevailed in a bunch sprint after a hilly 172.5km ride from Moutier to Porrentruy, including the category two Col de la Croix. He finished ahead of in-form Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe and Italy's Damiano Caruso.
Albasini took the yellow jersey from Welsh rider Geraint Thomas on Wednesday and now holds a 20-second lead on his teammate Ivan Santaromita of Italy and Sky's Chris Froome, who has won the last two editions of the Tour de Romandie.
The Brit remains one of the favourites to win the Tour, which ends on Sunday.
Friday's fourth stage will take the peloton on a 169.8km ride from Neuveville to Fribourg, ahead of Saturday's difficult mountain stage.
Results of the third stage of the Tour de Romandie, a 172.5km race from Moutier to Porrentruy on Thursday:
Stage:
1. Michael Albasini (SUI/Orica) 4hr 14min 56sec, 2. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA/Etixx) s.t., 3. Damiano Caruso (ITA/BMC) s.t., 4. Alberto Rui Costa (POR/Lampre) s.t., 5. Simon Gerrans (AUS/Orica) s.t., 6. Nathan Haas (AUS/Cannondale) s.t., 7. Rigoberto Uran (COL/Etyxx) s.t., 8. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/Cannondale) s.t., 9. Luka Mezgec (SLO/Giant) s.t., 10. Sergei Chernetski (RUS/Katusha) s.t.
Overall:
1. Michael Albasini (SUI/Orica) 8hr 57min 38sec, 2. Ivan Santaromita (ITA/Orica) at 20sec, 3. Christopher Froome (GBR/Sky) s.t., 4. Simon Yates (GBR/Orica) s.t., 5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA/Etixx) at 24sec, 6. Ilnur Zakarin (RUS/Katusha) at 25sec, 7. Pavel Kochetkov (RUS/Katusha) s.t., 8. Yuri Trofimov (RUS/Katusha) s.t., 9. Egor Silin (RUS/Katusha) s.t., 10. Simon Spilak (SLO/Katusha) s.t.
Selected others:
14. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/Astana) at 37sec, 21. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) at 42sec, 27. Nairo Quintana (COL/Movistar) at 1:00, 41. Pierre Rolland (FRA/Europcar) at 1:27, 46. Romain Bardet (FRA/AG2R) at 1:42, 47. Jean-Christophe Praud (FRA/AG2R) s.t.
