Britain’s Brennan takes win in sprint on Tour of Britain stage from Milton Keynes to Ampthill
British rider Matt Brennan took victory on stage three of cycling’s Tour of Britain today, as the race made its way from Milton Keynes to Ampthill.
The Team Visma Lease A Bike rider capitalised on being given a perfect lead out from teammate and race leader Olav Kooij, who had won both of the race’s previous stages.
Kooij accelerated on a slight uphill stretch in the finishing straight on Woburn Road in Ampthill, setting up the stage win for Brennan, who is now the youngest stage winner in the race’s history.
A breakaway formed as the race crossed from Buckinghamshire into Bedfordshire, but was caught with around 11 kilometres to go, setting the race up for the sprinters.
Although there was speculation that Team Visma may be trying to set up a stage win for the 20-year-old on home roads, race leader Kooij was coy when asked about plans for the day by National World at the start in Milton Keynes.
"A hat-trick of stages is my goal, I will see what I can do today," he said.
Instead the victor on the previous two days turned provider for his team-mate as Brennan claimed a 12th win of the season.
Italian Alberto Dainese from Tudor Pro Cycling was second on the stage with Portugal’s Rui Olivieira from the world’s number one team UAE Team Emirates in third place.
Kooij continues to lead the general classification with three stages remaining, with Brennan moving from 43rd overnight up into second place, just ten seconds adrift of his teammate.
Dainese is in third place overall, 14 seconds behind Kooij, with fourth-placed Tom Crabbe and Mats Wenzel in fifth on the same time as Dainese.
During the podium presentations, stage winner Brennan received a framed map of the stage route as a memory of his achievements, and enjoyed a toast and sip of champagne alongside dignitaries on stage.
Meanwhile, race leader Kooij received a wooden bicycle sculpture as an acknowledgement of retaining the race lead.
Speaking at the finish line Brennan described his stage win as ‘fantastic’, adding: "The finish was really chaotic, a lot of people were trying to get to the front, but we bided our time a bit, had the guys working all day, moved up in the last 2km.
"I took an opportunity, I followed Olav’s wheel, it was brilliant.
"The team said we can’t have you at your home race and not winning something, so to be given this opportunity, I am really thankful for that."
Brennan now leads the young rider competition, giving him the white jersey, while fellow Briton Ben Chilton, racing for the Great Britain Team, took the King of the Mountains jersey.
The race moves away from the Home Counties tomorrow with the fifth stage in Warwickshire from Atherstone to Burton Dassett Country Park.