publish time

01/07/2024

author name Arab Times

publish time

01/07/2024

author name Mohammed
Eritrea's Biniam Girmay celebrates winning ahead of Belgium's Arnaud de Lie, left, and Colombia's Fernando Gavira, right, during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 230.8 kilometers (143.4 miles) with start in Piacenza and finish in Turin, Italy. (AP )

TURIN, Italy, July 1, (AP): Eritrean rider Biniam Girmay sprinted to victory in the third stage of the Tour de France on Monday while Mark Cavendish’s pursuit of a record-breaking 35th stage win was postponed.

The 39-year-old Cavendish has been tied with Eddy Merckx on 34 wins for three years and put off retirement to try again this year to break the record. But Cavendish appeared to get slowed by a crash in the finale, although the British rider didn't appear to go down.

The mostly flat 231-kilometer (144-mile) leg from Piacenza to Turin - the longest stage of this year’s Tour - provided the first chance for a mass sprint. But there will be at least a handful of other opportunities for sprinters after the race crosses back into France following the first four stages in Italy.