Feillu takes jersey after rain-hit stage

SAMUEL DUMOULIN battled the conditions as well as his fellow cyclists to claim victory in the third stage of the Tour de France.

The Frenchman was part of an early four-man breakaway and held off his rivals in a sprint for the line to triumph in the 208km stage from Saint-Malo to Nantes.

The Confidis rider just edged America's William Frischkorn (Garmin Chipotle) into second, with France's Romain Feillu (Agritubel) third and Italy's Paolo Longo Borghini (Barloworld) fourth.

Feillu, though, took the race leader's yellow jersey.

The flat stage, featuring no classified climbs, was certainly one for the sprint specialists, but the wet and windy conditions were not conducive to fast racing.

The leading quartet, whose advantage over the peloton was at one stage almost 15 minutes, managed to hold off the chasing pack in a nailbiting final few kilometres.

They were handed an advantage when the peloton was delayed by protesters from the General Confederation of Labour – one of the largest trade unions in France – blocking the course around 60km from the finish.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme was forced to step in to urge to them out of the road.