Van der Poel launches Philipsen to victory in the third stage of Tirreno-Adriatico

Another stage for the fast men in the peloton of Tirreno-Adriatico that was almost frustrated by a powerful Jumbo-Visma that tried to break the race in the last 10 kilometers when the wind made its appearance. In the end, a superb job by Alpecin-Deceuninck handed victory to Jasper Philipsen.

Jasper Philipsen without rival in Tirreno-Adriatico

A new transition stage in Tirreno-Adriatico in which the sprinters did not let pass a profile favorable to their characteristics. And the 216 kilometers between Follonica and Foligno, going into the interior of Italy, were more broken than in the previous day, including a couple of soft mountain passes.

This was the goal set by the brothers Mattia and Davide Bais of Eolo-Kometa, who set off with Stefano Gandin and Alessandro Iacchi, repeaters of yesterday's breakaway. However, the Eolo-Kometa men showed their strength on the first climb with which Davide Bais managed to take the lead in the mountains from Gandin and went ahead in a tight duet to also take the second pass while both Corratec riders were neutralized by the big group.

The Bais brothers would not get much further as the peloton did not want to speculate on the chase and neutralized their breakaway 70 kilometers from the finish. Despite the distant neutralization, calm did not leave the group, which rode parsimoniously in search of the finish in Foligno.

It looked like the stage was going to be completely anodyne, with only the sprint finish in sight. However, with a team of the level of Jumbo-Visma in the race, nothing can be taken for granted. As the teams began to position themselves, an exposed section of the route and a change of direction of the road caused the wind to come in from the side and it didn't take long for the yellow team to accelerate the pace with 14 kilometers to go.

4 kilometers of push and pull until they finally managed to cut the group, although, with most of the favorites managing to get into the leading group, as well as the fast men who were already at that point positioned at the front of the race. Only Enric Mas and Mikel Landa were cut off, as was the leader, Filippo Ganna, who in a demonstration of raw strength managed to close the gap on his own.

So many important people in front and the arrival in the streets of Foligno, where the wind was no longer a factor, meant that the peloton managed to put out the fire, just a few kilometers from the finish but with enough time for the teams to restructure and look for the preparation of the sprint.

It was Alpecin-Deceuninck who was in the lead at the last kilometer when Mathieu Van der Poel set off the bike making a huge launch for Jasper Philipsen who barely had to sprint to take the stage, with more than a bike length difference from Phil Bauhaus who was the only one who managed to hold on to the men in blue. Third place went to Biniam Girmay but with no chance of winning the stage.

After this start of the race, tomorrow the Tirreno-Adriatico will change its scenario and it will be the turn of those who intend to compete for the general classification with a classic style course that will certainly not disappoint.

Classification Stage 3

1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpeci-Deceuninck) 5h19’08’’
2. Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain-Victorious) +00
3. Biniam Girmay (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) +00
4. Matteo Moschetti (Q36.5) +00
5. Simone Consonni (Cofidis) +00
6. Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) +00
7. Edward Theuns (Trek-Segafredo) +00
8. Dylan Groenewegen (Jayco-alUla) +00
9. Fabio Jakobsen (Soudal-QuickStep) +00
10. Jordi Meeus (Bora-Hansgrohe) +00

Overall Classification

1. Filippo Ganna (INEOS Grenadiers) 10h38’09’’
2. Lennard Kamna (Bora-Hansgrohe) +28’’
3. Magnus Sheffield (INEOS Grenadiers) +30’’
4. Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) +34’’
5. Thymen Arensman (INEOS Grenadiers) +39’’
6. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) +41’’
7. Andreas Leknessund (Team DSM) +41’’
8. Casper Pedersen (Soudal-QuickStep) +47’’
9. Wilco Kelderman (Jumbo-Visma) +48’’
10. Alexey Lutsenko (Astana) +48’’