Greg Henderson took a hugely unxpected win in today's third stage of the Ster ZLM Toer when he escaped inside the final kilometre to hold off the sprinters. Originally working to lead out André Greipel, he suddenly got a gap and got the nod from his captain to go all the way to the line.

Greg Henderson won the third stage of the Ster ZLM Toer today. The New-Zealander could create a gap in the last kilometer and stayed ahead of the peloton in Buchten. Tyler Farrar sprinted to the second place, André Greipel was third.

Lotto Belisol helped to animate the stage. Lars Bak, Jens Debusschere and Tim Wellens were all part of a breakaway of 28. After about 30 kilometers this group was caught. Then Wellens got ahead with five others. The Lotto Belisol rider, 9thin GC at 16" of leader Kittel, let his companions go and got reeled in by the bunch. Teammate Adam Hansen bridged to the other escapees on his own.

In the final the six were caught. It seemed to become a bunch sprint, but that was successfully avoided by Greg Henderson. He's fifth in GC now, Wellens seventh and Greipel twelfth.
 
"This victory was a really nice surprise," Henderson said. "We were preparing the bunch sprint for André Greipel. With 800 meters to go there was a corner to the left. I went through first and André came to about fourth wheel. I looked back and waited to see if he was going to come to my wheel. He let me know to go full gas.

"I went and put my head down with 300 meters to go. I thought this are going to be a long 300 meters. I went as hard as I could to the finish line, hoping they wouldn't catch me anymore and I took the win.

"I've got a good condition at the moment. I'm happy when André wins, then I've done a good job as a lead-out. This stage win is an extra cherry on the top. It was totally unexpected."