It meant his third win this week. He brought his season total to eleven. With that, he has a good share in the team’s thirty-six victories.

Teammate George Bennett chose to attack early in the stage and ended up in a front group of nine. Van Aert was in a comfortable position. At a good ten kilometres from the finish the escapees were caught.

For the Belgian champion that was the moment to attack. The Belgian had nine riders with him. Classification leader Ethan Hayter, world champion Julian Alaphilippe and Michael Woods were in his wheel. In the ascending final kilometre the exceptional qualities of Van Aert came to the surface. The rider from Herentals gave the competition a run for their money and took his third win in this Tour of Britain. Van Aert diminished the gap on Hayter in the general classification to four seconds.

“I tried to surprise the competition with that attack”, Van Aert said. “That way I tried to make up some extra seconds in the classification. In the end all the competitors turned out to be in my wheel. Then I waited until the final kilometre. I was well positioned and had enough power in my legs to finish it off. It gives me great pleasure to take my third stage victory. This gives a lot of extra confidence and morale in the run-up to the coming races. In many ways the course of the World Cup is similar to this one. For now, though, I’m focusing on this race.”

Van Aert foresees an exciting battle for the general classification for the next two stages. “I’m now within four seconds of Hayter. A lot will depend on the bonification seconds. Perhaps we can try something at other times as well. With a little more luck we might have gotten extra seconds earlier this week. Hayter is a strong opponent who is in good shape. I know that I didn’t miss an opportunity this week. I’m ready for what’s to come.”