Dorion Godon wins Tour de Romandie stage 3 sprint, because Pogačar didn't want to
CyclingFriday, 01 May 2026 at 18:15
Dorian Godon won stage three of the Tour de Romandie on Friday afternoon. The Frenchman, who also took the prologue on day one, had to work hard to return to the front with INEOS Grenadiers after a summit finish where Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe made things uncomfortable once again. Tadej Pogačar found himself in a winning position for the second time — but made it clear all day that he had no interest in taking it.
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Stage three covered 176.6 kilometres from Orbe to Orbe and was demanding in the second half, with the Col de Mollendruz serving as the final significant selector — nine kilometres at 6.1%. The climb was expected to settle the contest between the day's early breakaway and a peloton that had enjoyed a fairly quiet morning under the control of UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
The break formed after just over ten kilometres. Caruso and Josh Kench took the initiative, with Steven Kruijswijk briefly attempting to make the junction. The Dutchman of Visma | Lease a Bike could not bridge the gap, but Georg Steinhauser and Lorenzo Germani did. Sam Oomen, Rémi Rochas and Steff Cras also joined, bringing the total to seven. Three of them — Kench, Germani and Rochas — rode for Groupama-FDJ United.
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The lead grew to just over two minutes, but never enough to take the peloton out of the picture entirely. A crash at a roundabout did the breakaway no favours either.
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Red Bull apply pressure, three survivors remain
On the Col de Mollendruz, the situation shifted. The break held a lead of around two minutes at the foot, but it evaporated quickly as the gradient stiffened. Caruso read the moment well and pressed on alone. The Italian crested the summit with just under a minute on the peloton, while the rest of the break fell apart behind him.
On the descent, Caruso led, with Steinhauser and Cras still trying to hang on from the original group. In the peloton, Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe seized on the final climb, putting in a big turn. Daniel Felipe Martínez and Primož Roglič were deployed as luxury domestiques, and the bunch was only 30 seconds back by the bottom of the descent.
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Can Pogačar produce another upset against Godon?
With ten kilometres remaining, the chances of Caruso, Steinhauser and Cras staying clear were slim to none. The rest of the break had already been swept up. In the peloton, INEOS Grenadiers took over, having retrieved Godon from the front after the climb, and teams began setting up for a sprint — just as they had the day before.
Pogačar was watchful, knowing that he and UAE Team Emirates-XRG would have been content to let the breakaway go — but Red Bull had other ideas. Together with INEOS and Lidl-Trek, who had the fast finisher Albert Withen Philipsen, the gap to the surviving riders was closed. Red Bull, as on the previous day, were counting on Finn Fisher-Black.
As planned, the breakaway was caught, and a tactical tug-of-war began between a Pogačar who did not want to win and a Godon who very much did. UAE Emirates-XRG took the front, but Pogačar kept letting gaps open, and when the sprint came he never made a real effort to come off Godon's wheel.
The Frenchman won. Fisher-Black finished second, Aurélien Paret-Peintre third. Pogačar came home fourth.
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Results stage 3 Tour of Romandie 2026
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Latest Comments
- Here is a novel idea......it's a road bike race, stick to smooth asphalt courses! Cobble is like mild off-road cross riding!!!!Germanrazor14-04-2026
- To lose a race like that on a mechanical problem in this day and age is unforgivable. Why aren't all riders using the same (interchangeable) gear? It is the job of the team manager to manage and reduce risk variables. The fact that he not only didn't pick up on the potential issue but actually ok'd it is just madness.fatehasfans13-04-2026
- Rider X, y and z? Could you update?yaNzKEWL21-03-2026
- Can anyone help me understand the thinking behind the two punishments? Are the commissaires saying you get thrown out of the race for a second inadvertent disposal of a bidon (even to the delight of fans) but that as long as you can afford it you can show off your phalangeal cuticles all day long on international TV? Aking for a friend.packfiller7112-03-2026
- It's a bit embarrassing that. Isn't the main sponsor supposed to keep them at 36.5 ?tomjacques03-03-2026
- They were close to cracking a very tired Tadej that wasn't fully focused on the TdF with a team of riders focused solely on cracking Tadej. And if they cracked him, he would have still won. Tadej won't be racing the giro this year. It'll be an even easier win for him.Veganpotter09-02-2026
- Nice!Bea22-01-2026
- Those events are mental rest for him. Fun, without expectations. *Sagan lost his abilities because he gained weight and got lazy. Pogi will likely retire before that has a chance at happening.Veganpotter14-12-2025
- Ah, the consequences of riding for Israel.Veganpotter11-12-2025
- Pidcock could follow everyone but Pogi while finishing 3rd. No second place rider this season😃Veganpotter16-11-2025
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