Del Toro abandons due to a fall and Axel Laurance wins stage 3 of the Itzulia 2026

The third stage of the Itzulia 2026 broke the script set by Paul Seixas in the first two days, but not his dominance in the general classification. On a day designed for long-range moves and with the leader more focused on controlling than finishing, the victory ended up in the hands of Axel Laurance, who knew how to read the race better than anyone.

Laurance takes advantage of the favorites' truce and wins stage 3 of the Itzulia

From the start, it was clear that it was an open day. The constant ups and downs and the nervous profile favored a succession of attacks until a large breakaway with important names finally consolidated. Among them, Ilan Van Wilder was one of the most active, looking for an opportunity to climb positions in the classification.

With the leader's team uninterested in hardening the race for the partial victory, the gap of the escapees was enough for them to fight for the win. Even so, the stage was not resolved by simple inertia. The selection was progressively made in the last kilometers, especially after passing the most demanding climbs and a descent that turned out to be decisive.

It was there that the key move was formed. Axel Laurance and local Igor Arrieta took advantage of a moment of doubt in the front group to break away together. Their collaboration allowed them to open a gap that proved definitive, while behind them, the lack of understanding hindered any serious attempt to neutralize the breakaway.

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In the final approach, with terrain rising again, the tension grew between the two escapees. Arrieta tried to anticipate in the hardest meters, looking to surprise in his territory, but Laurance responded confidently. The Frenchman withstood the challenge and waited for his moment, aware that the outcome would be decided in the last, more favorable meters.

And so it was. In the final straight, now without an incline, Laurance imposed his speed and took the victory, leaving the local rider without a prize in a very close finish. Behind, the chasing group arrived fragmented, with Natnael Tesfatsion completing the podium of the stage and Van Wilder just missing out after a very combative day.

The day also left an important piece of news for the general classification. Isaac Del Toro was forced to abandon after a fall, a hard blow for UAE, which loses one of its main assets in the race and in the immediate calendar.

The very concerning image of Del Toro that marks what we have seen so far in the stage

The Mexican, forced to abandon after a fall that left him practically unable to stand#itzulia2026 pic.twitter.com/RmXxboRdFk

— Eurosport.es (@Eurosport_ES) April 8, 2026

As for the battle for the lead, there were no significant changes. Seixas crossed the finish line within the peloton, maintaining his advantage intact after two days of absolute dominance. The Frenchman remains in the lead with a margin of nearly two minutes over Primoz Roglic, with the rest of the contenders even further behind.

Top 10 stage 3 Itzulia 2026

1. Axel Laurance (Ineos Grenadiers) 3h 38'33"
2. Igor Arrieta (UAE) at 2"
3. Natnael Tesfatsion (Movistar) at 14"
4. Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal) at 14"
5. Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X) at 18"
6. James Shaw (EF Education) at 21"
7. Clément Braz Afonso (Groupama-FDJ) at 24"
8. Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana) at 24"
9. Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet (Groupama-FDJ) at 24"
10. Reuben Thompson (Lotto) at 34"

Top 10 general Itzulia 2026 after stage 3

1. Paul Seixas (Decathlon) 8h 08'24"
2. Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora) at 1'59"
3. Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull-Bora) at 2'08"
4. Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) at 2'14"
5. Ben Tulett (Visma) at 2'27"
6. Alex Baudin (EF Education) at 2'31"
7. Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) at 2'36"
8. Harold Tejada (XDS Astana) at 2'48"
9. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Movistar) at 3'01"
10. Clément Champoussin (XDS Astana) at 3'02"