
Ethan Hayter put his signature on the third stage of the Baloise Belgium Tour, a nine-kilometer time trial contested between the localities of Tessenderlo and Ham. The 26-year-old Briton pedaled at an average of 55 km/h, stopping the clock at 10 minutes 29 seconds and 6 hundredths, achieving his first victory with the Soudal Quick-Step colors. Filippo Ganna came in second place: the INEOS Grenadiers athlete, wrapped in the tricolor body of the national time trial champion, was 4" behind the winner, while Florian Vermeersch from UAE Team Emirates - XRG finished in third position, crossing the line 16".40 behind. Just off the podium Filippo Baroncini, another standard-bearer of UAE Team Emirates - XRG, with a gap of 16".98 from the winner.
The time trial revolutionizes the general classification with the day's winner displacing Molano (slowed by a mechanical issue, ed.) from the top spot and now leads the standings with 2" over Ganna and a 15" advantage over Vermeersch.
Tomorrow, the Belgian race offers us the queen stage: start and finish in Durbuy, 173 kilometers to cover with many Cotes to climb.
FINISH ORDER
1 HAYTER Ethan Soudal Quick-Step 10.29,59
2 GANNA Filippo INEOS Grenadiers 0.04,38
3 VERMEERSCH Florian UAE Team Emirates - 0.16,4
4 BARONCINI Filippo UAE Team Emirates - 0.16,98
5 ARTZ Huub Intermarché - Wanty 0.17,9
6 SWIFT Connor INEOS Grenadiers 0.18,41
7 SEGAERT Alec Lotto 0.20,13
8 CÔTÉ Pier-André Israel - Premier Tech 0.21,46
9 TURNER Ben INEOS Grenadiers 0.22,9
10 HERREGODTS Rune UAE Team Emirates 0.23,35
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