Tadej Pogacar threatened to win a second stage in a row at the Giro d'Italia before having to settle for keeping hold of the leader's pink jersey on Monday.
The UAE Team Emirates rider had sent out an ominous warning to his rivals after a scintillating victory 24 hours earlier to win his first ever Giro stage and take over as overall race leader.
And Pogacar powered away with two kilometres of Monday's Stage 3 remaining – following a move first started by EF Education's Mikkel Honore – leaving key rival Geraint Thomas of Ineos Grenadiers no choice but to follow the only man ahead of him in the general classification.
Despite opening up a sizeable gap they were caught a little over 200 metres from the line as Soudal-QuickStep's Merlier came through to pip Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) and Biniam Girmay (Intermarche), but it was another show of strength from Pogacar – albeit the sort of effort he might pay for down the line.
“Little bit complicated but not too much. We can break it down in three sections: first two hours were really easy and nothing happened, then one hour was just full gas from each corner, downhill, little climb was full,” said two-time Tour de France winner Pogacar.
“It was a little bit of chaos then everything came back together and it was a little bit stressful, not too much craziness but you could feel the tension. Then in the final it was stretching the legs.”
The Slovenian also insisted he was not the cause of the early break. “I did not attack, I followed the wheel,” he said.
“It was a good situation, me, Mikkel Honore and Thomas, G. We tried to keep on going but I never believed we could make it to the finish. G tried to pull as well in the end which surprised me so respect. In the end, I tried but 400 metres to the finish is still a long way to go, way too long.
“I had good legs and this kind of terrain is good and when it's a bit like a game like back in the day with your friends when you attack each other on the flat and small climbs, this suits me good.”
Welsh rider Thomas was also keen to point out the frantic finale was not his idea and he is now 46 seconds behind Pogacar in the overall standings.
“That wasn't the plan, we just wanted to stay out of trouble.” Thomas told reporters. “I saw Honore go and then Pogacar and I thought, 'I might as well go' but jeepers, that was solid. He's kicking my head in.
“I was just trying to hold his wheel, trying to give him a turn but, phwoar, it was solid. I looked back and was surprised to see such a big gap but I knew they were going to come back, especially with how I was feeling.
“It's been a good start, I'm feeling all right and hopefully it will continue to build.”
Meanwhile, Merlier secured his second Giro stage win and eighth of the season at the end of the 166km ride from Novara to Fossano, nudging ahead of Milan and Girmay before the line.
“It was the hardest victory so far,” said the Belgian. “It was a really hard final, we caught them back but in the last kilometre I never found the slipstream any more so I was always in the wind and I saw 300 metres and was like 'you need to go'.
“I saw Milan was starting his sprint on the left side and I knew I was going to be first or second and I'm happy I won this one.”
Tuesday's Stage 4 is a 190-km slog from Acqui Terme to the seaside resort of Andora at the foot of the Capo Mele.
Stage 3 result
1) Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick-Step) 3 hrs 54 mins 35 secs
2) Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) same time
3) Biniam Girmay (Intermarche)
4) Jenthe Biermans (Arkea)
5) Tobias Andresen (Team dsm-firmenich-PostNL)
General classification
1) Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 11 hrs 03 mins 02 secs
2) Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) +46
3) Daniel Martinez (Bora-hansgrohe) +47secs\
4) Einer Rubio (Movistar) +56secs
5) Cian Uijtdebroeks (Team Visma) same time
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if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Countries recognising Palestine
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Points to remember
- Debate the issue, don't attack the person
- Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
- Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
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Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
