BRITAIN’S Adam Yates put a difficult week behind him as he finished fourth overall, while Frenchman Thomas Voeckler was rewarded for his efforts at the Tour de Yorkshire with the win.

Voeckler, of Direct Energie, beat Team Sky’s Nicolas Roche in a sprint finish after they broke clear of the chasing pack on the final climb of the stage from Middlesbrough to Scarborough.

Team Sky broke up the peloton over the 198km course’s six categorised climbs, with Roche and Voeckler escaping from Yates on the run-in to Scarborough.

“The guys were attacking and I was holding on - I didn’t really have the punch or the kick to accelerate myself so that is how it goes really - sometimes there are guys stronger that you and there is nothing you can do about it,” said ORICA GreenEDGE’s Yates.

“It is pretty awesome to be top Brit and finish third, towards the end I was suffering quite a bit.

“But the team rode awesome all week, the whole three days, so we can be happy with that, we will take that confidence into the second half of the season.”

In the final stages Voeckler pounced as Roche switched off for a second and it was enough to secure the stage and the overall win for the popular Frenchman.

“It was a pretty hard day, pretty hard roads and hard climbs,” said the veteran.

“There were many strong teams. Me and my teammates were a little bit outsiders but after I finished second last year I knew I had to wait until the final kilometres to attack.

“It really helped me for the finish.

“Yorkshire is amazing with the crowds on the road. After the Tour de France it is the race where I see the most people all over the road and it is pretty pleasant to ride with all those people.”

Team Sky’s Pete Kennaugh, wearing the British champion’s jersey, was at the head of the race over the penultimate climbs of the day, driving the pace to distance as many of Roche’s rivals as possible.

He and his teammates could not get rid of Voeckler though and despite him pipping Roche to the line, Kennaugh was happy with Team Sky’s efforts in over the three days racing.

“It was brutal on the roads, there was no let-up all day,” said the Manxman.

“Racing for position early on with the cross wind and the weather affecting things. Then when we took it up it was just full gas to the finish.

“Tommy Voeckler was really strong today, as well as Nico, they matched each other and you’re not going to be able to just ride people off your wheel.

“There are some really good bike riders out there but we were still happy with the result, it was a good team performance.”

Australia’s Nathan Haas picked up enough points on the day’s climbs to win the King of the Mountain’s jersey as Lotto NL Jumbo rider Dylan Groenewegen held onto the Yorkshire Bank sprinters jersey he claimed after winning stage one.

“It is great to have won the Yorkshire Bank sprinters jersey,” said the 22-year-old.

“For me it was a really good race with a first and second and then winning the green jersey.

“I think it was good for the team too and with the people here it is great, it is a nice race.”

Haas’ Dimension Data teammate, Liverpudlian Steve Cummings, attempted a solo breakaway on Friday’s first stage but was unsuccessful and admitted at the race finish that he had a race to forget after being dropped on the climbs of the North York Moors.

“What can I say, I didn’t have the legs but I think I did a good spring so I should remember that and forget this,” said the 35-year-old.

“We got the mountains jersey with Nathan though and Serge [Pauwels] was up there in the overall standings so it was a good day for the team and going in the right direction I think.”

Yorkshire Bank is an Official Partner of the Tour de Yorkshire and the ground-breaking Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries initiative. Visit ybonline.co.uk/tdy