The French time trial champion was nine seconds ahead of the Italian Alberto Bettiol (EF Education - EasyPost) and the promising Norwegian Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X).
This trio emerged less than 10 km from the finish in the descent of the Col de Trélys, in part thanks to the unfortunate Richard Carapaz (Ineos).
The Ecuadorian, then in 5th position, fell in a bend and caused a break in the first peloton.
He crossed the line among the last and suffers from the right hand with suspected fracture of a metacarpal bone.
The Frenchman Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) was also expected at the turn in this queen stage of the medium mountains which included four listed difficulties and seven others unclassified.
The Franche-Comté climber was seen in the first positions at the foot of the Col de Trélys, but he neither attacked nor was able to follow the attacks of Johannessen or the Frenchman Pierre Latour (TotalEnergies) on the climb.
He finished in the first peloton, 15 seconds behind the winner and remained behind in the general classification (16th at 1 min. 24).
Thomas, him, reports to Cofidis his second victory in two days on the Etoile, after that of Bryan Coquard Thursday on the heights of Rousson.
Very good track rider, very good rider and now very good puncher, he is in a good position to win the event which ends on Sunday with an 11 km time trial.
He will still have to pass the 4th stage on Saturday, 145.5 km long between Saint-Hilaire-de-Brethmas and Mont Bouquet (Gard), with a 4.6 km climb at a 9.6% gradient.
© 2022 AFP