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Olav Kooij wins third stage of the Tour of Britain

Olav Kooij won the third stage of the Tour of Britain, defeating Tim Merlier in a mass sprint.

5 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Olav Kooij wins third stage of the Tour of Britain — Photo: Cs-wolves · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Olav Kooij won the third stage of the Tour of Britain on Thursday. The Decathlon sprinter beat his rival Tim Merlier in the final sprint, having previously settled for second place behind Merlier in the competition.

The stage, which covered 194 kilometers through Yorkshire, featured several climbs, but there were no significant ascents in the last 75 kilometers. This benefited the sprinter teams, contributing to Kooij's victory.

Kooij's win follows a second-place finish in the second stage, where he was unable to keep up with Merlier. This time, the outcome was different, with Kooij effectively utilizing his speed to secure the win.

Archive photo: Olav Kooij wins third stage of the Tour of Britain — Archive photoPhoto: orphum · Flickr · BY

According to NOS, the riders faced a challenging ride through the hilly landscape of Yorkshire. Confronting the climbs took a toll on the riders, but a strong finish by the sprinter teams ultimately led to a mass sprint.

In another development, during the Tour of Britain, a woman ran across the peloton, capturing footage that garnered significant attention. This incident occurred at an undisclosed location during the race.

The fourth stage has now been completed as well, with Tim Wellens claiming the leader's jersey. He finished second in the stage to Leyburn, which was won by Cees Bol of Decathlon.

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