Marcel Kittel and Max Schachmann held onto their podium places after the race's toughest stage so far.
Ster ZLM Toer put on the table a hilly route, starting and finishing in Buchten, which on paper should have brought some changes to the general classification. Despite this relentless up-and-down in the first part of stage three, the peloton marshaled by Quick-Step Floors and LottoNL-Jumbo didn't leave anything to chance and controlled the gap of the escapees, who were reeled in inside the final ten kilometers.
German riders Marcel Kittel and Maximilian Schachmann, second and third respectively in the standings, crossed the finish line safely tucked in the bunch, same time as winner Dylan Groenewegen, and kept their position ahead of the most important stage of the 31st Ster ZLM Toer, which Quick-Step Floors will start as leader of the team rankings.
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
