Tour de France: Frenchman Romain Feillu seized the overall lead as compatriot Samuel Dumoulin won the third stage in a day of upsets on the Tour de France .
Agritubel's Feillu, the first local to wear the yellow jersey on the Tour since Cyril Dessel two years ago, was third behind Cofidis's Dumoulin and Garmin Chipotle's William Frischkorn of the United States.
Dumoulin, however, proved the best sprinter of a breakaway quartet that parted company with the peloton one kilometre after the start of the 208-km stage from St Malo to Nantes.
"I knew that I was well placed in the general classification and that if we were to go all the way, I would pull on the jersey," Feillu, whose start of season was hampered by toxoplasmosis, told a news conference.
"We (Frenchmen) proved that we were not worse than the other riders in the peloton," said Dumoulin, who had to pull out of the 2004 Tour after crashing in a collision with a dog.
The top three and Paolo Longo Borghini of Italy opened a 14-minute lead, fighting heavy rain showers and gusty winds to wrongfoot those who had anticipated a mass finish.
Spaniard Angel Litu Gomez was forced to withdraw and was taken to hospital for medical checks after a crash at a traffic divider that split the peloton.
Spain's Alejandro Valverde, who was then wearing the yellow jersey, and race favourite Cadel Evans of Australia stayed in the main pack that crossed the line two minutes and three seconds behind the winner.
Italian Riccardo Ricco and Russian Denis Menchov were less lucky and lost 38 more seconds.
Valverde is now fourth overall, one minute and 45 minutes behind Feillu, who may not have long in the yellow jersey as Tuesday's stage will be a 29.5-km solo effort against the clock.
Evans lies ninth, only one second further behind.
Briton David Millar, eighth in the overall standings one-minute 46 seconds adrift, and Swiss Fabian Cancellara, 34th six seconds further behind, will be the main contenders for the overall lead.