Demi Vollaring (SD Worx) lost a few seconds on the finish line in Epernay after a crash in the last 15km of stage 3 of the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift.

After sliding through a corner, Vollaring was able to rejoin the pack of overall contenders, but instead of going for the win himself, he switched to a lead-out role for teammate Ashley Mourman-Pasio. Moolman-Pasio finished third in the stage, and Vollering was eight seconds ahead of the winner, Cecil Uttrup-Ludwig (FDJ-SUEZ-Futuroscope).

"I felt really good and that's what I was going for," Vollering said at the finish.

"But Ashley was really good, so I'm happy she got third.

The team continued to work hard throughout the stage and had several options for the finish on the tough Epernay circuit.

"Our plan was to try something on the first climb of the lap and see how things went at the top. "If Lotte [Kopecký] was still there, we were going to go for Lotte in the final. If Lotte [Kopecký] was still there, I would go for Lotte in the final. If Lotte wasn't still there and she was in a small group, Ashley and I would ride to the finish.

"That was the plan and I think it worked out well in the end. It was just a little disappointing that I crashed there."

Vollering's crash occurred in a nondescript corner just before the last category-specific climb of the day.

"It was very slippery. It was like being back on ice again. I don't think I was going very fast. I just slipped."

After numerous crashes wreaked havoc on the second stage of the Tour, Voerling reaffirmed the intensity of the peloton, one of the biggest goals of the season for many teams.

"Every day is full gas. Sometimes you lose every day, sometimes you win every day. You have to stay focused from start to finish."

Wednesday's mountain stage between Troyes and Bar-sur-Aube could be a dangerous day for Vollering.

"I hope it's safe," he said. But I think it's going to be very chaotic tomorrow, so I hope we don't lose too much and win something."