Sagan wins 3rd stage at Tour de France, Canada’s Hesjedal 8th overall

BOULOGNE-SUR-MER, France – Peter Sagan of Slovakia won a crash-marred third stage of the Tour de France which came home from Belgium along five small-scale climbs to an uphill finish.

Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland remained the overall leader for a fourth straight day after Tuesday’s 197-kilometre trek from Orchies to the fishing port of Boulogne-sur-Mer.

Victoria’s Ryder Hesjedal finished 12th in the stage, one second behind Sagan. He moved up from 10th to eighth in the overall standings, 18 seconds behind Cancellara.

Sagan won his second stage in his debut Tour by outpacing a splintered pack with less than 300 metres left. He pumped his arms as he crossed the finish, several lengths ahead of Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway in second and fellow Slovak Peter Velits in third.

Cancellara leads Bradley Wiggins of Britain in second and Sylvain Chavanel of France in third, both seven seconds back. Defending champion Cadel Evans climbed from eighth to sixth place, 17 seconds behind.