Sogamoso (Colombia) (AFP)

Colombian Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates) won his second consecutive victory on Thursday in the third stage of the Tour of Colombia, Ecuadorian Jonathan Caicedo (Education First) remaining at the top of this cycling race, one of the main d 'Latin America.

Molano crossed the line with a time of 3h57: 00 at the end of a 177.7 km loop and a spectacular final sprint, in front of his compatriot Edwin Avila (Israel Cycling Academy).

Alvaro Hodeg (Deceuninck-Quick Step), also from Colombia, came third after this stage between the towns of Paipa and Sogamoso (center), at an average altitude of 2,600 m.

"The team counted a lot on me and we never doubted it. I tried a sprint as close as possible (to the finish), not as long as yesterday because these stages (...) are complicated "said the winner to ESPN.

Molano, who recovered from a fractured right wrist in 2019, won his second victory after winning the day before thanks to a similar show of force.

At the end of this stage, Ecuadorian Jonathan Caicedo retains the lead in the general classification.

The 169 km of the fourth stage will run on Friday between Paipa and Santa Rosa de Viterbo, up to the 3rd category pass of Malterias, at 2,732 m above sea level.

A total of 27 teams, including six from the World Tour category, are participating in this third edition of the Tour, which ends on Sunday.

Egan Bernal, winner of the Tour de France last year, won in 2018 for the first edition, before his compatriot Miguel Angel Lopez succeeded him in 2019.

- Classification of the 3rd stage:

1. Sebastian Molano (COL / UAE) 3h57: 00

2. Edwin Avila (COL / ISR) mt

3. Alvaro Hodeg (COL / DEC) mt

4. Julian Molano (COL / Selección Colombia-Andina) mt

5. Jhonatan Restrepo (COL / AND) mt

...

21. Egan Bernal (COL / INE) mt

112. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA / DEC) at 1:14.

- General classification after the 3rd stage:

1. Jonathan Caicedo (ECU, EF1) 7:27:10 am

2. Sergio Higuita (COL, EF1) mt

3. Daniel Martinez (COL, EF1) mt

4. Tejay Van Garderen (USA, EF1) mt

5. Sebastian Molano (COL, UAE) at 0:40

...

9. Egan Bernal (COL / INE) at 0:46

81. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA / DEC) at 2:22

© 2020 AFP