Howes wins Stage 3 at Tour of Alberta; Canada’s Jack Burke sixth overall

EDMONTON — Alex Howes jumped from the field with about 300 metres to go and held off a chasing pack to win Stage 3 of the Tour of Alberta on Sunday.

The American outdistanced second-place finisher and teammate Wouter Wippert of the Netherlands. Wippert had won Stage 2 on Saturday.

“I jumped coming to the top of the final climb (up out of the River Valley) and was trying to lead out Wouter because I think he’s the top sprinter in the race,” Howes said. “When I got a gap, he yelled to go for it so I kept going and held on.”

Howes had won a stage during the Colorado Classic in August and accelerates at shorter climbs. That skill helped him entering the final kilometre.