Kittel sprints to Stage 3 win

London - Marcel Kittel has celebrated winning what he called an "awesome" Tour de France stage in front of Buckingham Palace as he emphasised his status as the best sprinter in the world on Monday.

The 26-year-old German won his second stage out of three at this year's Grand Boucle as he proved too strong for the sprint competition on the 155km stage from sunny Cambridge to wet London.

"It was awesome, I'm really happy I could win this stage in front of Buckingham Palace. There were amazing crowds, great scenery, the team did a really good job which was a great advertisement for our lead-out train," said Kittel.

Without former world champion and 25-time Tour stage winner Mark Cavendish for competition, Kittel looked in a class of his own.

Cavendish crashed on the finish to the first stage in Harrogate on Saturday and dislocated his collarbone, withdrawing from the race before the start of Sunday's second stage from York.

Kittel admitted Cavendish's absence made his job easier.

"That's one big opponent that's not in the race anymore. Of course it changes things for me and also the team. We have to take it into account for the next few stages," said the German.

Launched perfectly by his Giant-Shimano team, the battle behind Kittel was merely for his back wheel and the slipstream his huge frame provides.

Peter Sagan, who took second on the stage ahead of Australian Mark Renshaw, won that particular battle but never had the strength nor the belief to try to dive out from behind Kittel to go for the win.

Slovakia's Sagan at least held on to his green points jersey, though.

Kittel simply led home a procession, turning the final dash to the line into a demonstration of his pace and power.

Having suffered over Sunday's gruelling 201km hilly grind from York to Sheffield, the overall contenders took it easy through Monday's stage.

Race leader Vincenzo Nibali kept out of trouble and enjoyed his first ever day in yellow.

"What can I say, I'm really, really happy because today there were even more people than the other days," he said.

"Maybe the rain ruined the party a bit but it was still a good day. I tried to look after the jersey and stay clear from trouble right to the end.

"I was well protected by my team. Here in England we've been met by a great welcome and fantatstic fans."

Twice former winner Alberto Contador tested his legs in the final few kilometres by keeping near the front, more to stay away from potential danger than to try to finish high up.

He was wise to do so as there was a crash further back around 1.5km from the line.

Reigning champion Chris Froome was another to enjoy a fairly anonymous day, although the same could not be said for his Sky teammate David Lopez, who clipped a fan who had strayed too far out into the road to take a picture.

Lopez survived the incident but it created a concertina effect behind in the peloton which saw former winner Andy Schleck go down in a spill.

On a sunny day with blue skies in Cambridge, Frenchman Jean-Marc Bideau and Jan Barta of the Czech Republic were the escapees of the stage, heading off straight from the start and lasting almost 150km in the lead.

On a day that was always a near certainty to end in a bunch sprint, the 18 World Tour teams didn't bother to get involved in the breakaway, leaving two of the four invited teams to jump on the chance for some extended time in front of the television cameras.

They went close but Bideau gave up the ghost with 8km left and Barta battled on for another 2km before agonisingly succumbing to the inevitable.

Leading standings from the third stage of Tour de France a 155km ride from Cambridge to London on Monday:

1. Marcel Kittel (GER/GIA) 3h38min 30sec (average: 42,6 km/h)
2. Peter Sagan (SVK/CAN) same time
3. Mark Renshaw (AUS/OPQ) 0:00.
4. Bryan Coquard (FRA/EUC) 0:00.
5. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/KAT) 0:00.
6. Danny van Poppel (NED/TRE) 0:00.
7. Heinrich Haussler (AUS/IAM) 0:00.
8. Jose Joaquin Rojas (ESP/MOV) 0:00.
9. Romain Feillu (FRA/BSE) 0:00.
10. Daniel Oss (ITA/BMC) 0:00.
11. Zakkari Dempster (AUS/APP) 0:00.
12. Ramunas Navardauskas (LTU/GRM) 0:00.
13. Samuel Dumoulin (FRA/ALM) 0:00.
14. Arnaud Dmare (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.
15. Michael Albasini (SWI/ORI) 0:00.
16. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL/OPQ) 0:00.
17. Davide Cimolai (ITA/LAM) 0:00.
18. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/BMC) 0:00.
19. Adrien Petit (FRA/COF) 0:00.
20. Greg Henderson (NZL/LTB) 0:00.
21. Tom Veelers (NED/GIA) 0:00.
22. Michael Schr (SWI/BMC) 0:00.
23. Andr Greipel (GER/LTB) 0:00.
24. Fabian Cancellara (SWI/TRE) 0:00.
25. Cyril Lemoine (FRA/COF) 0:00.
26. Bernhard Eisel (AUT/SKY) 0:00.
27. Jack Bauer (NZL/GRM) 0:00.
28. Chris Froome (GBR/SKY) 0:00.
29. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/AST) 0:00.
30. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) 0:00.
31. Bauke Mollema (NED/BKN) 0:00.
32. Matteo Trentin (ITA/OPQ) 0:00.
33. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 0:00.
34. Geraint Thomas (GBR/SKY) 0:00.
35. Alberto Contador (ESP/TIN) 0:00.
36. Anthony Delaplace (FRA/BSE) 0:00.
37. Michael Rogers (AUS/TIN) 0:00.
38. Jose Herrada Lopez (ESP/MOV) 0:00.
39. Michal Golas (POL/OPQ) 0:00.
40. Jon Izagirre (ESP/MOV) 0:00.
41. Brice Feillu (FRA/BSE) 0:00.
42. Tejay Van Garderen (USA/BMC) 0:00.
43. Jurgen Van den Broeck (BEL/LTB) 0:00.
44. Matthew Hayman (AUS/ORI) 0:00.
45. Johan Van Summeren (BEL/GRM) 0:00.
46. Jakob Diemer Fuglsang (DEN/AST) 0:00.
47. Mikel Nieve (ESP/SKY) 0:00.
48. Andrew Talansky (USA/GRM) 0:00.
49. Alexander Porsev (RUS/KAT) 0:00.
50. Reto Hollenstein (SWI/IAM) 0:00.
51. Tom Dumoulin (NED/GIA) 0:00.
52. Jean Christophe Peraud (FRA/ALM) 0:00.
53. Andriy Grivko (UKR/AST) 0:00.
54. Kvin Reza (FRA/EUC) 0:00.
55. Vasil Kiryienka (BLR/SKY) 0:00.
56. Nlson Oliveira (POR/LAM) 0:00.
57. Peter Velits (SVK/BMC) 0:00.
58. Matteo Montaguti (ITA/ALM) 0:00.
59. Rui Costa (POR/LAM) 0:00.
60. Ben Gastauer (LUX/ALM) 0:00.
61. Mathias Frank (SWI/IAM) 0:00.
62. Tiago Machado (POR/APP) 0:00.
63. Daniele Bennati (ITA/TIN) 0:00.
64. Nicolas Roche (IRL/TIN) 0:00.
65. Tony Gallopin (FRA/LTB) 0:00.
66. Janier Acavedo (COL/GRM) 0:00.
67. Tanel Kangert (EST/AST) 0:00.
68. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.
69. Andreas Schillinger (GER/APP) 0:00.
70. Marcel Sieberg (GER/LTB) 0:00.
71. Haimar Zubeldia (ESP/TRE) 0:00.
72. Richie Porte (AUS/SKY) 0:00.
73. Chris Horner (USA/LAM) 0:00.
74. Laurens ten Dam (NED/BKN) 0:00.
75. Arthur Vichot (FRA/FDJ) 0:00.
76. Yury Trofimov (RUS/KAT) 0:00.
77. Sylvain Chavanel (FRA/IAM) 0:00.
78. Koen de Kort (NED/GIA) 0:00.
79. Markel Irizar (ESP/TRE) 0:00.
80. Egor Silin (RUS/KAT) 0:00.
81. Bram Tankink (NED/BKN) 0:00.
82. Jrgen Roelandts (BEL/LTB) 0:00.
83. Martin Elmiger (SWI/IAM) 0:00.
84. Rudy Molard (FRA/COF) 0:00.
85. Jan Barta (CZE/APP) 0:19.
86. Sep Vanmarcke (BEL/BKN) 0:19.
87. Roy Curvers (NED/GIA) 0:19.
88. Simon Clarke (AUS/ORI) 0:19.
89. Niki Terpstra (NED/OPQ) 0:19.
90. Jens Keukeleire (BEL/ORI) 0:19.
91. Marcus Burghardt (GER/BMC) 0:19.
92. Jan Bakelants (BEL/OPQ) 0:21.
93. Adam Hansen (AUS/LTB) 0:23.
94. Marco Marcato (ITA/CAN) 0:23.
95. Maciej Bodnar (POL/CAN) 0:32.
96. Svein Tuft (CAN/ORI) 0:34.
97. Yukiya Arashiro (JPN/EUC) 0:38.
98. John Degenkolb (GER/GIA) 0:43.
99. William Bonnet (FRA/FDJ) 0:52.
100. Roger Kluge (GER/IAM) 1:00.
101. Leopold Knig (CZE/APP) 1:02.
102. Frank Schleck (LUX/TRE) 1:05.
103. Alexandre Pichot (FRA/EUC) 1:05.
104. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/BKN) 1:05.
105. Arnold Jeannesson (FRA/FDJ) 1:05.
106. Tony Martin (GER/OPQ) 1:05.
107. Jens Voigt (GER/TRE) 1:05.
108. Gregory Rast (SWI/TRE) 1:05.
109. Mickael Delage (FRA/FDJ) 1:05.
110. Pierre Rolland (FRA/EUC) 1:05.
111. Paul Voss (GER/APP) 1:05.
112. Darwin Atapuma (COL/BMC) 1:05.
113. Tom Slagter (NED/GRM) 1:05.
114. Bartosz Huzarski (POL/APP) 1:05.
115. Kristjan Koren (SLO/CAN) 1:05.
116. Matthieu Ladagnous (FRA/FDJ) 1:05.
117. Elia Viviani (ITA/CAN) 1:05.
118. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA/OPQ) 1:05.
119. Amal Moinard (FRA/BMC) 1:05.
120. Peter Stetina (USA/BMC) 1:05.
121. Cyril Gautier (FRA/EUC) 1:05.
122. Benoit Jarrier (FRA/BSE) 1:05.
123. Andy Schleck (LUX/TRE) 1:05.
124. Tom Leezer (NED/BKN) 1:05.
125. Luke Durbridge (AUS/ORI) 1:05.
126. Fabio Sabatini (ITA/CAN) 1:05.
127. Xavier Zandio (ESP/SKY) 1:05.
128. Daniel Navarro (ESP/COF) 1:05.
129. Stef Clement (NED/BKN) 1:05.
130. Albert Timmer (NED/GIA) 1:05.
131. Jeremy Roy (FRA/FDJ) 1:05.
132. Matteo Tosatto (ITA/TIN) 1:05.
133. Sbastien Reichenbach (SWI/IAM) 1:05.
134. Kristijan Durasek (CRO/LAM) 1:05.
135. Cedric Pineau (FRA/FDJ) 1:05.
136. Dmitriy Gruzdev (KAZ/AST) 1:05.
137. Matthew Busche (USA/TRE) 1:05.
138. Bart De Clercq (BEL/LTB) 1:05.
139. Marcel Wyss (SWI/IAM) 1:05.
140. Maxim Iglinskiy (KAZ/AST) 1:05.
141. Rubn Plaza (ESP/MOV) 1:05.
142. Lars Ytting Bak (DEN/LTB) 1:05.
143. Gatis Smukulis (LAT/KAT) 1:05.
144. Vladimir Isaichev (RUS/KAT) 1:05.
145. John Gadret (FRA/MOV) 1:05.
146. Danny Pate (USA/SKY) 1:05.
147. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AST) 1:05.
148. Lieuwe Westra (NED/AST) 1:05.
149. Rein Taaramae (EST/COF) 1:05.
150. Simon Gerrans (AUS/ORI) 1:05.
151. Sbastien Minard (FRA/ALM) 1:05.
152. Jean-Marc Marino (FRA/CAN) 1:05.
153. Jos Serpa Perez (COL/LAM) 1:05.
154. Florian Guillou (FRA/BSE) 1:05.
155. Maarten Wijnants (BEL/BKN) 1:05.
156. Sergio Paulinho (POR/TIN) 1:05.
157. Lars Boom (NED/BKN) 1:18.
158. Sbastian Langeveld (NED/GRM) 1:18.
159. Yohann Gene (FRA/EUC) 1:22.
160. Luca Paolini (ITA/KAT) 1:22.
161. Alessandro Vanotti (ITA/AST) 1:26.
162. Christian Meier (CAN/ORI) 1:52.
163. Simon Yates (ENG/ORI) 1:52.
164. Rafael Valls (ESP/LAM) 1:52.
165. Maximiliano Richeze (ARG/LAM) 1:52.
166. Imanol Erviti (ESP/MOV) 1:52.
167. Armindo Fonseca (FRA/BSE) 1:52.
168. Benjamin King (USA/GRM) 1:52.
169. Florian Vachon (FRA/BSE) 1:52.
170. Ji Cheng (CHN/GIA) 1:58.
171. Dries Devenyns (BEL/GIA) 1:58.
172. Simon Spilak (SLO/KAT) 1:58.
173. David Lopez (ESP/SKY) 1:58.
174. Mickal Cherel (FRA/ALM) 1:58.
175. Jose Mendes (POR/APP) 1:58.
176. Alex Howes (USA/GRM) 1:58.
177. Perrig Quemeneur (FRA/EUC) 1:58.
178. Giovanni Visconti (ITA/MOV) 1:58.
179. Nicolas Edet (FRA/COF) 1:58.
180. Luis ngel Mat (ESP/COF) 1:58.
181. Arnaud Gerard (FRA/BSE) 1:58.
182. Jerome Pineau (FRA/IAM) 1:58.
183. Benat Intxausti (ESP/MOV) 2:04.
184. Joaquin Rodriguez (ESP/KAT) 2:04.
185. David De la Cruz (ESP/APP) 2:04.
186. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/EUC) 2:04.
187. Alessandro De Marchi (ITA/CAN) 2:04.
188. Blel Kadri (FRA/ALM) 3:18.
189. Jean-Marc Bideau (FRA/BSE) 3:55.
190. Julien Simon (FRA/COF) 4:00.
191. Egoitz Garca (ESP/COF) 4:00.
192. Christophe Riblon (FRA/ALM) 5:08.
193. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 5:54.
194. Michael Morkov (DEN/TIN) 5:54.
195. Edward King (USA/CAN) 7:25.
196. Jesus Hernandez (ESP/TIN) 7:25.