EF Education-EasyPost defends its lead in the team time trial

Alex Baudin starts the team time trial of the third stage of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in the yellow jersey. The French rider from EF Education-EasyPost secured the overall lead on the first stage with a successful solo breakaway from the breakaway group. His lead is 32 seconds over nine chasers, which is why his team is the last to set off. The main favourites for overall victory, such as Paul Seixas from Decathlon CMA CGM, Isaac Del Toro from UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Matteo Jorgenson from Team Visma | Lease a Bike, are 44 seconds behind and therefore start a little earlier. The course, which starts and finishes in Perreux, runs for 28.4 kilometres and begins with a 4.9 kilometre climb with an average gradient of 3.5 per cent up to the first time check. This is followed by a technically demanding descent with many bends and a flat climb to the second split time. The last 800 metres include a steep final climb.

Start times of the favourites

Team Picnic PostNL opens the team time trial at 15:05 Central European Time. Del Toro will be the first overall contender to start at 15:49 with his team UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Paul Seixas' team will start at 16:05, followed by Netcompany Ineos at 16:17. EF Education-EasyPost with leader Baudin is the last team to start at 16:29.

The start times at a glance