Tadej Pogachar (UAE Team Emirates) and Remco Evenpole (Sourdal-Quick Step) finished in Torino in 38th and 40th places, respectively. Therefore, Richard Karapas (EF Education-Easy Post) finished ahead of them and took the yellow jersey by virtue of his stage ranking.

Because of a crash with 2.2km remaining in the stage, Pogachar, Evenpole, and Vingegaard knew that they would be given the same time as stage winner Biniam Guillemay (Intermarché Wanty), so they calmly rode to the finish in the center of Turin They were able to run.

They prioritized safety over the battle for the yellow jersey and kept the same time, but Carapas wore the yellow jersey.

Their main rivals, including the Ineos Grenadiers trio of Primos Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Carlos Rodriguez, Egan Bernal, and Tom Pidcock, all finished in the main group, only 21 seconds apart.

Pogachar and his UAE Team Emirates team had made it clear early in the Tour de France that defending the yellow jersey was not a priority, and the overall battle with Vingegaard, and ultimately the overall win, shaped their race strategy for the three weeks.

It was a moment of amnesty before Tuesday's fourth stage, the Col du Galibier crossing to Valloire. Pogachar and Evenpoel handed over the yellow jersey to Calapaz, leaving his EF Education-Easy Post team to defend the yellow jersey in the intense 139.6km stage.

With the loss of the yellow jersey, Pogachar no longer had post-stage podium and media obligations.

Evenpoel kept the white jersey of the best young rider, but he did not seem to carry the weight of the yellow jersey on his shoulders before the first mountain stage of the 2024 Tour de France.

"I didn't have to do anything today," he said. 'Well, figuratively speaking. It was a success. Today's mission was a success."

"I didn't think about the yellow. We finished without any injuries and hopefully it will stay that way. Other players were badly injured.

Even though Evenpoel was initially cautioned, he was unaware that the crash had indirectly affected him. His young teammate Casper Pedersen crashed at speed with 15 km to go, suffering a broken collarbone.

Evenpoel is now concentrating on stage 4, where an attack over the Galibier could significantly increase the time gap in the overall race.

"It's important, but it's not the most important day in the Tour. It won't even be the most difficult stage," he said, "but it will be a long battle.

"There may be differences, but nothing major. We must be ready for war.

"We just have to waste no time and try to keep up. If there is a battle for the championship, I will try to participate, but there is a good chance that the breakaway group will win again."

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