As it happened: Late crash hands win to the sprinters on stage 3 of Volta a Catalunya 2026
Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard attacked but the Olympic champion crashed with 300 metres to go and Dorian Godon stormed to victory
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Race situation
Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard attacked but the Olympic champion crashed with 300 metres to go and Dorian Godon stormed to victory ahead of Ethan Vernon and Noah Hobbs
The neutral start is in about half an hour.
Hola! Welcome to Cyclingnews' live report of stage 3 at the 105th edition of the Volta a Catalunya
Let's relive some of the action yesterday by taking a look back with out post race report. Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) proves, yet again, that experience is always useful in tricky finales as he held off the rapid finish of young Frenchman, Noa Isidore (Decathlon-CMA CGM) to take stage 2 and go level on time with race leader, Dorian Godon (Ineos Grenadiers)...
Two abandons from yesterday, both mentioned in yesterday's live, were Riley Pickrell (Modern Adventure) and Henri Uhlig (Alpecin-Premier Tech). The latter crashed on the final descent yesterday and fractured his left collarbone. He has already been transferred to a hospital in Belgium for further care and examinations.
The third day in Catalonia is another challenging stage with some pretty big mountains coming early doors with the category 1 dual named Alt de la Mussara - Coll de les Llebres and the category 2 Coll de Capafons with a very up and down middle to the race before the finale third begins with the category 3 Coll Roig. After that, it is downhill to about 30km to go and then flat to the line in Vila-Seca. Will is be the last chance for the sprinters? Or will the breakaway succeed?
Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) hasn't raced since the Tour Down Under back in late January. A race he dominated. However, he has been suffering since that famous last day crash involving a couple of kangaroos...
The riders have to tackle 2132 metres of elevation gain today. It is billed as a day for the sprinters, but they'll have to fight tooth and nail to get their chance to open up a sprint at the finish.
The start of the first climb, the Alt de la Mussara/Coll de les Llebres comes after just 23km of racing. If the break hasn't gone by that point, it is bound to be a brutal day in the saddle with the climb lasting 7.2km with an average gradient of 6% and a max kicker of 15%.
Sign on is well underway as we edge closer to the neutral start in Mont-roig Del Camp.
The riders are about to start the neutralised part of the stage.
Three non-starters today:
They join Pickrell and Uhlig on the abandon list.
1km to Kilometre Zero and the official stage start.
The six man break has gained time rapidly on the peloton and now have one minute and 45 seconds over the pack.
The gap drifts above two minutes.
Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) has called for the car at the back of the peloton.
Just over 20km until the riders crest the top of the first climb of the day, the Alt de la Mussara /Coll de les Llebres. The climb starts about 7km earlier.
The gap continues to climb with the break now holding two minutes and 25 seconds over the peloton.
Jerseys:
Onto the first climb of the day they go! The Alt de la Mussara /Coll de les Llebres, 7.2km at an average of 6% with a max gradient of 15%. 10 points will be given to the first over the line.
So far, Veistroffer has won every KOM and intermediate sprint point available, leaving him at the top of both mountain and points classifications. He is in the break for a third day running today, will he keep his 100% record going?
Three minutes and 15 seconds now split the six riders out front and the chasing peloton.
The break are working very well together in these early kilometres.
The peloton has settled down into the day with the first team blinking and going to work. NSN are the squad hitting the front for the third day running as they continue to search for that stage win with Ethan Vernon.
After tasting success with Cort yesterday, the team of Uno-X Mobility join NSN on the head of the peloton as the time gap starts to drop to the break with it now sitting at three minutes dead.
There is a bit of wind about today in Catalonia but nothing compared to the carnage that is likely incoming at the rebranded Ronde Van Brugge! Follow our other live page on another tab by clicking the link below...
Around 2km from the top of the first climb of the day. Will Veistroffer take another 10 points to add to his tally?
The break go over the top of the first climb of the day with just two minutes advantage on the Uno-X Mobility led peloton.
The gap dips inside two minutes.
Ineos Grenadiers take over the pacing in the peloton as they head onto the descent. At the bottom they start climbing once again up the Coll de Capafons which is 4km with an average gradient of 4.5% and a max kick of 9%.
Veistroffer continues his 100% record and takes his advantage over Stites to 17 points.
Onto the Coll de Capafons go the breakaway.
The gap continues to fall with just one minute and 35 seconds now splitting the break and the peloton.
It is another stunner of a day with lovely sunshine beating down on the race.
Veistroffer now has a 22 point lead over Stites in the KOM standings.
The riders are now on the mountain top plateau before descending and taking on the first of two intermediate sprints on the way in Cornudella de Montsant.
That intermediate sprint is 10km away from the riders.
The peloton continue to close the gap. It is now one minute and 18 seconds splitting the two with Ineos Grenadiers intent of keeping control of this break.
The break are just 1km away from the intermediate sprint in Cornudella de Montsant.
Martin Urianstad (Uno-X Mobility) did the majority of the damage on the climbs with Ineos Grenadiers coming up to the front for the descents.
Just one minute and 10 seconds split the break and the peloton now.
At this rate it seems unlikely that Veistroffer will be able to extend his lead further in both the points and KOM classifications with the gap dropping to just above a minute with 85km to go.
With the gap to the break dropping under a minute, let's take a moment to remind ourselves of the riders in the lead group before they get caught...
The riders have just gone over the top of the first of three uncategorised climbs. Much smaller than the three categorised ascents, but still able to do damage. And it is the peloton that are doing that damage at the moment with just 55 seconds between them and the break with 75km to go.
This break is not looking good at all. Just 40 seconds lead!
That said, the gap has gone out to a minute again with Uno-X Mobility, NSN and Ineos Grenadiers working together in the peloton.
That attack has quickly been brought back but the gap to the break has plummeted to 18 seconds.
Veistroffer is constantly looking over his shoulder as the peloton are just behind them. They have got the gap back to 27 seconds.
Multiple teams move to the front of the peloton to try and control things and not let the peloton descent into chaos as riders try to ping across the gap to the breakaway.
That crash has seen several splits in the peloton and seen the gap to grow to the break to 48 seconds.
Jay Vine abandons after crashing. Oliveira has carried on despite looking like he was in some severe discomfort.
Visma-Lease a Bike, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, Jayco-AlUla and EF Education-EasyPost lead the peloton and the gap is being dissolved to the break yet again with the support cars all being taken out of the gap, just 35 seconds.
3.5km to the top of the climb with the gap out to a minute again for the break. They look like they will make it over the top of the Coll Roig.
Visma-Lease a Bike take control of the peloton and have upped the pace with Jonas Vingegaard in third wheel. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Jayco-AlUla are very keen to be up there with them.
Several riders are being dropped from the peloton.
The pace is going up in the peloton partly because of the descent but mainly because of what comes after that, some nasty 30kph crosswind!
Some dropped riders are Sergi Darder (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Nikias Arndt (Bahrain Victorious), Sam Bennett (Pinarello-Q36.5) and Martin Urianstad (Uno-X Mobility).
The break is now fracturing with Aguirre and Thompson losing touch.
Thompson and Aguirre get back on to the break with 1.5km to the top of the climb.
Tyler Stites (Modern Adventure) dropped from the peloton.
1km from the top of the Coll Roig.
Veistroffer has taken all 18 points available today in the KOM classification, meaning he now leads the competition by 17 points over Burnett who also moves up in the standings because of today.
Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe now take on control in the bunch and are now 30 seconds behind the breakaway.
If the break are caught by the peloton before the intermediate sprint in Reus there will be three, two and one bonus seconds available. Possibly an opportunity for the GC contenders to take some time before a big GC day tomorrow?
Aguirre dropped from the break and caught by the peloton.
The gap is said to be about 12 seconds between the break and the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe led peloton.
UAE Team Emirates-XRG look to have missed the split with João Almeida in a group of about 50 behind the lead group.
Cian Uijtdebroeks (Movistar) is also in the second group as well.
Ineos Grenadiers and Pinarello-Q36.5 leading a frantic chase with the two major favourites pushing clear!
Vernon is in the second peloton.
Evenepoel and Vingegaard turn into a tailwind section but the Visma-Lease a Bike rider is refusing to work with the Olympic champion.
Derek Gee-West (Lidl-Trek) is out of the back of the Almeida group. He has had a disaster.
Vingegaard starts to work with Evenepoel with 18 seconds on the Ineos Grenadiers led first peloton but Visma-Lease a Bike and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are blocking the chase. This is helping UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Almeida come back in.
Just inside 2km to the final intermediate sprint in Reus with three, two and one bonus seconds available.
NSN and EF Education-EasyPost join UAE Team Emirates-XRG in the chase but they aren't taking any time back at all with 25 seconds gap with 15km to go.
Pier-André Côté (NSN) leading the peloton at the moment.
Vingegaard has started missing turns again and is really irritating Evenepoel as the gap drops to 13 seconds again with Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) leading the way. 7km to go.
Evenepoel starts to lose his rag and this may mean that they don't go all the way. Vingegaard has clearly been told to stop working as this doesn't appear to be making it all the way now.
6km to go and Evenepoel sits up and allows the peloton to catch them up again.
The peloton weren't catching quickly and the road was a bit technical so he just decided to hit the attack button yet again.
Puncture for Enric Mas (Movistar) but he should be okay in the 5km rule for a sprint stage but Movistar don't seem sure and a bit frantic.
3km to go and they are still clear with Evenepoel still trying to get Vingegaard to come through but the Danish Grand Tour star isn't having any of it.
Mas will just roll in. He looks calm and seems to know he is safe after his mechanical.
Into the final 2km and the gap is just 8 seconds.
500 metres to go!
Dorian Godon wins stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya 2026! What an absolutely bonkers stage!
Evenepoel looks absolutely furious as he is being tended to by the race doctor with blood gushing down his arm. He appears to crash in a straight line before the final roundabout. I have no idea how he came down.
Make sure to read out post race report for all the analysis and reactions on stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya 2026!
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