Mark Cavendish won the third stage of the Tour Of Britain.
Stage three took the race to Scotland with a stage from Jedburgh to Dumfries and saw race leader Luke Rowe taking the first Yodel sprint of the day in Hawick.
Five riders in Bernard Salzberger of Team Raleigh, Peter Hawkins of Sigma Sport, Kristian House of Rapha Condor, sprint points leader Peter Williams of Node4 and Wesley Kreder of Vacansoleil then broke away.
With 52kms gone, they had a lead of four minutes. House took the second and third sprints.
The leaders went through Moffat with a lead of 2.51 before Matteo Carrera of Vaconsoleil and Blaz Jarc of Team NetApp abandoned.
The fourth sprint at Lochmaben, was watched by good crowds and saw Williams pick up the five points ahead of Hawkins in an uncontested sprint.
With 33.3kms to go and the race heading towards Dumfries before completing a loop of the Scottish town, Team Sky led by Bradley Wiggins came to the front as did United Health Care.
The wind was blowing and there was rain as the riders entered Dumfries and the peloton now led by Jeremy Hunt had got the gap down to 1.25.
Williams took another five points on White Sands opposite the river Neath on what will be the finish line in thirty kilometres time.
Five at the front split into two groups when Hawkins, who was now the leader on the road and Wesley Kreder decided to go away with 23kms to go.
With 12kms left, they were caught by Belgian Sepp Vanmarcke of Garmin who took over at the front with Kreder.
They were fourteen seconds clear with five to go as the pace went up to 65kmph.
With 2.5kms to go, their turn at the front was over and Magnus Backstedt of Team UK Youth went to the front before Wiggins, Bernie Eisel and the peloton took control.
Mark Cavendish (pictured below) went early and won in a time of 3.54.31 ahead of Howard, Kroupis and Rowe.
Lee Howard takes over the race leader's jersey and Boy Van Poppel the points jersey.
Mark Cavendish, Team Sky, Stage Three winner
“On the first day, what can you do [when you crash] then yesterday we tried something different....but today we were told to follow the script - straight up you sprint – so that’s what we did.
“It’s the exact same finish [as last year], it was alright, it’s just about getting there. The lads were wicked.
“It was [Luke] Rowe, he is such a good bike rider you know. He could win the overall. He went, all the guys went long and he just had to go. Brad [Wiggins] just put a monster turn on through the hardest bit to bring them back.
“It’s great, like it’s been on every stage. This Tour of Britain has been great. Obviously with Brad winning the yellow jersey at The Tour and everybody is behind it. Especially when it’s pissing with rain, there were people still out watching, some in t-shirts so it was nice to see."
Leigh Howard, Orica GreenEDGE, IG Gold Jersey
“I’ve been working really hard all year, and working hard for another team mate so it’s nice to have the leader’s role here and try and fulfil it as best I can. So far, all is going well.
“The crowds are unbelievable, the first day I have never seen crowds like it. And event the next two stages, through the week and with the rain, there are people all along the roads so it’s nice to see."
Stage Three, Jedburgh to Dumfries Whitesands, 152.6km
1) Mark Cavendish, GBR, Team Sky, 3:54:30
2) Leigh Howard, AUS, Orica GreenEDGE, same time
3) Aidis Kruopis, LTU, Orica GreenEDGE, same time
4) Luke Rowe, GBR, Team Sky, same time
5) Sam Bennett, IRL, AN Post Sean Kelly, same time
6) Russ Downing, GBR, Endura Racing, same time
7) Boy Van Poppel, NED, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, same time
8) Jonathan McEvoy, GBR, Endura Racing, same time
9) Barry Markus, NED, Vacansoleil - DCM, same time
10) Yanto Barker, GBR, Team UK Youth, same time
Rouleur Combativity Award: Peter Hawkins, IRL, Team IG - Sigma Sport
IG Gold Jersey, General Classification, after Stage Three
1) Leigh Howard, AUS, Orica GreenEDGE, 13:16:28
2) Mark Cavendish, GBR, Team Sky, same time
3) Boy Van Poppel NED, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, + 0.04
4) Luke Rowe, GBR, Team Sky, same time
5) Rony Martias, FRA, Saur Sojasun, + 0.10
6) Russ Downing, GBR, Endura Racing, + 0.12
7) Steele Von Hoff, AUS, Garmin - Sharp, + 0.16
8) Nathan Haas, AUS, Garmin - Sharp, same time
9) Sep Vanmarcke, BEL, Garmin - Sharp, same time
10) Sam Bennett, IRL, Team IG - Sigma Sport,+ 0.17
Chain Reaction Cycles Points Classification, after Stage Three
1) Boy Van Poppel, NED, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, 36pts
2) Russell Downing, GBR, Endura Racing, 34pts
3) Luke Rowe, GBR, Team Sky, 33pts
4) Leigh Howard, AUS, Orica GreenEDGE, 29pts
5) Mark Cavendish, GBR, Team Sky, 29pts
SKODA King of the Mountains Classification, after Stage Three
1) Kristian House, GBR, Rapha Condor, 46pts
2) Pablo Urtasun, SPA, Euskaltel - Euskadi, 41pts
3) Richard Handley, GBR, Rapha Condor, 32pts
4) Peter Williams, GBR, Node4 - Giordana Racing, 32pts
5) Russell Hampton, GBR, Team Raleigh - GAC, 28pts
Yodel Sprints Classification, after Stage Three
1) Peter Williams, GBR, Node4 - Giordana Racing, 27pts
2) Rony Martias, FRA, Saur Sojasun, 12pts
3) Kristian House, GBR, Rapha Condor, 10pts
4) Jonny Clarke, AUS, UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling, 7pts
5) Matthias Krizek, AUT, Liquigas - Cannondale, 7pts
Team General Classification, after Stage Three
1) Garmin - Sharp, USA, 39:50:12
2) Team Sky, GBR, + 0.02
3) Endura Racing, GBR, same time
4) Saur Sojasun, FRA, + 0.03
5) Team UK Youth, GBR, same time
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM