Team Sky's Ian Stannard solos to victory on third stage of Tour of Britain

The 29-year-old Englishman, one of Chris Froome's key lieutenants at the Tour de France, got into a small breakaway group soon after the race left the start in Congleton and then powered away on his own with 40 kilometres to go.

He eventually came home almost two minutes clear of Graham Briggs of the JLT-Condor team and ONE Pro Cycling's Kristian House, with the peloton crossing the finish in Knutsford's Tatton Park almost six minutes down.

Belgium's Julien Vermote, the winner of Monday's gruelling second stage, retains the overall lead as Stannard lost more than 13 minutes to the Ettix-QuickStep rider in the Lake District.

Vermote was quick to thank his team-mates for helping him defend his lead after the 179km stage, including Ireland's Birmingham-born Dan Martin who remains third overall just 64 seconds behind. The pair are separated by Steve Cummings, the Team Dimension Data rider who is six seconds down.

It was a first win of the season for the Essex-born Stannard, the 2012 national road champion who is more often seen doing long, painful turns at the front of the pack for Froome but did collect podium finishes at E3 Harelbeke and Paris-Roubaix this year.

Speaking to ITV4 afterwards, Stannard said: "I was pretty motivated for the day and it's always nice to win solo from a breakaway - it was a big day."

This stage included climbs at Alderley Edge, Pott Shrigley's Brickworks and the famous Cat and Fiddle between Macclesfield and Buxton, and it was on the last of these that the big rider known as 'Yogi' made his move.

Briggs and House worked together to ensure they finished second and third, ahead of a bunch sprint for fourth place won by Bardiani's Nicola Ruffioni. five minutes and 43 seconds after Stannard finished.

Sir Bradley Wiggins had an easier day than Monday, after which he admitted his post-Rio celebrations might be holding him back.

The five-time Olympic champion and former Tour de France winner discovered a Lake District climb known as 'The Struggle' was aptly named when he decided to hop off his bike and run with it.

He later re-posted a picture of his antics that was taken by a fan on Instagram and said: "Taking things very seriously at the top of the struggle, took my mind off being in a world of pain #onetomanyginandtonics #wiggins #tob2016"

Wednesday's fourth stage, the race's longest at 217km, goes from north to south through mid-Wales from Denbigh to Builth Wells.