Thor Hushovd (BMC) is using the Tour de Pologne to build form for his final few weeks as a professional and after a tough start he starts to show signs of improvement. Despite being hampered by a crash, he finished 5th in today's third stage of the race.

Thor Hushovd of the BMC Racing Team was slowed by a crash in the final few hundred meters Tuesday at the Tour de Pologne but still managed a fifth-place finish. The past world road champion said he was in good position before the pile-up, thanks to the help of former Danish national road champion Sebastian Lander.

"Sebastian did a really good job for me in helping with the lead out," Hushovd said. "Then there was the crash and I was a bit too far behind. That was unfortunate because I had good legs today."

Hushovd said he is finding his legs after struggling with the heat and some adverse weather on the first two stages. His top-five finish was his fifth of the season.

"I needed a couple days to get started and it helps when it is a bit cooler."

Theo Bos (Belkin Pro Cycling) took the win ahead of Luka Mezgec (Team Giant-Shimano) and Michael Matthews (ORICA-GreenEDGE) as Stage 2 winner Petro Vakoc (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) kept the overall lead.

BMC Racing Team Sport Director Fabio Baldato said it was good to see Hushovd riding into form.

"We really don't really have the guys for the sprint or another strong guy for the flats – like when we had Taylor Phinney here last year," Baldato said.

There was a brief scare in the final 10 kilometers of the 174-km race when an inflatable arch collapsed just as the peloton was approaching. Bystanders and officials managed to clear the road, though, and the race was not affected.