Ryder Hesjedal riding aggressively at Tour de France

Ryder Hesjedal of Canada leads the breakaway group during the third stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 213 kilometers (132.4 miles) with start in Wanze, Belgium and finish in Arenberg, France, Tuesday July 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski)

Victoria native and cyclist Ryder Hesjedal climbed the podium after the third stage of the Tour de France on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old didn't quite get the yellow leader's jersey but he was honoured as the day's most aggressive rider.

Hesjedal finished in fourth place at the end of stage three, after he catapulted himself out in front of the pack only 13 kilometres into the 213-kilometre stretch from Wanze Arenberg to Porte du Hainaut.

He led the way for most of the day until some elite riders overtook him in the final lengths of road near the end of the day's race.

"You never know how things are going to play out," Hesjedal, who rides for the Garmin-Transitions team, told The Canadian Press. "Especially a stage like that. It was a very hard course."

The third stage was littered with bumpy cobblestone patches causing many riders to bail out onto the pavement, looking like cyclist debris.

Hesjedal broke away from the pack early to avoid the likelihood of crashes.

He was unable to maintain his lead to the finish, as he was later passed by Andy Schleck of Luxembourg Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland, Cadel Evans of Australia, Geraint Thomas of Wales and Norway's Thor Hushovd, who won the stage for the Canadian-owned Cervelo team.

"I was just focused on riding well and staying out of trouble. I was able to leave my breakaway companions pretty easily, so I could turn it into an individual time trial and as far as I could make it up the road was going to be the best scenario," said Hesjedal.

He now gets to wear a red number on Wednesday for his accomplishment as the most aggressive rider.

"I was definitely envisioning arriving at the finish alone. But that was pretty strong group that came up from behind. ... I was happy just to be able to stay with those guys and arrive with the leaders," said Hesjedal.

He sits fourth overall in the race and 46 seconds back from the leader.

Hesjedal was the first Canadian to win a stage in the Spanish Vuelta and in May he won the final stage of the Tour of California.

The Tour de France runs until July 25.

With files from The Canadian Press.