He may not have been the top favourite, but Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) shows he has taken a step forward this season and wins Stage 3 of the Tirreno Adriatico 2026. After 221 kilometres raced largely in the rain, the Danish rider proved the most composed, sharp and powerful in the sprint, taking a fairly clear victory ahead of Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Intermarché) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin Premier Tech).

A difficult day for Jonathan Milan (Lidl Trek), who ends up exposed to the wind too early, launches his sprint from a long way out but doesn’t have the legs to hold off his rivals, eventually finishing 7th. No problems instead for Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG), who remains safely in the blue jersey and even picks up one bonus second at the intermediate sprint in Casette.

It cannot be said that today’s stage was particularly explosive. Light rain and the 221 flat kilometres did little to encourage aggressive racing. The only rider to go up the road was Diego Pablo Sevilla (Polti VisitMalta), but after taking the KOM in Todi and securing the chance to step onto the podium in Magliano de’ Marsi to wear the green jersey, he sat up with 130 kilometres still to go.

The stage then rolled along without much happening, at a steady average speed of 38 km/h, until the final 25 kilometres, when Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility), Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) and Liam Slock (Lotto Intermarché) tried for a few kilometres to surprise the peloton, only to be brought back with 20 km to go. Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale were the most precise team in setting up the finale, with Jonathan Milan forced to open his sprint from a long way out before being overtaken by Tobias Lund Andresen, Jasper Philipsen, and then the rest of the field.

For the Danish rider it is the tenth victory of his professional career, the third this season after his WorldTour successes at the Tour Down Under and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. Could this be the breakthrough of a new top sprinter?

PROVISIONAL RESULTS

1 – Tobias Lund Andresen (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) – 221 km in 5h29’22” average speed 40.259 km/h
2 – Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Intermarché) s.t.
3 – Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech) s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1 – Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
2 – Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe) at 4″
3 – Magnus Sheffield (Ineos Grenadiers) at 14″

THE JERSEYS
The leader jerseys of the 61st Tirreno Adriatico Crédit Agricole are designed by SPORTFUL

• Maglia Azzurra, leader of the General Classification, sponsored by Socage – Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
• Maglia Ciclamino, leader of the Points Classification, in cooperation with ITA – Italian Trade Agency – Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
• Maglia Verde, leader of the Gran Premio della Montagna Classification, sponsored by Trenitalia – Diego Pablo Sevilla (Team Polti VisitMalta)
• Maglia Bianca, Best Young Rider Classification, born after 1 January 2001, sponsored by Crédit Agricole – Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates XRG)

Speaking seconds after the finish, the stage winner Tobias Lund Andresen said: “Everyone had cold legs, so I wanted to be first to launch the sprint. It’s also because of Jonathan Milan that we went full speed so early. It’s an amazing feeling to cross the line this way. Tirreno-Adriatico is one of the biggest races of the year so to take a win here means a lot to me. My season has been unbelievable so far, winning in Australia and making two top 10 in Belgium, I wouldn’t have thought I could take such a big step this year but it’s due to this so amazing team”.