🎥 Massive crash wipes out the peloton in Wallonia stage 3, Pithie wins reduced sprint
CyclingThursday, 04 June 2026 at 07:55
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Follow us on GoogleThe third stage of the Tour of Wallonia was won on Wednesday by Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe’s Laurence Pithie. The finale was marred by a heavy crash just before the final kilometre.
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The first two stages of the Walloon stage race, which moved to early June this year, were won by fast men. Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) took the win on day one, while one day later it was the turn of the surprise New Zealander Ben Oliver of Modern Adventure Cycling.
On day three there was, as is customary in a bike race, once again a breakaway. This time it consisted of Italian champion Filippo Conca (Jayco AlUla), Senne Thonnon (Flanders Baloise), Jarno Bellens (Baloise), George Wood (Mg.K), Jonah Killy (Tarteletto) and Álvar Sagrado of Team Storck.
Control was taken by the teams that had already enjoyed success: Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and Modern Adventure. Together with NSN, they ensured the break was brought back within the final ten kilometres.
Massive crash wipes out Wallonia peloton
From there, attention shifted to the closing kilometres, which rose slightly towards Vaux-sur-Sûre. One kilometre from the finish, disaster struck when Arne Marit crashed while preparing for the sprint and took around 30 riders with him. Only about a dozen riders were left standing.
Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe and Netcompany INEOS were the best represented in that reduced group, with Pithie proving the fastest after excellent work from Danny van Poppel. Kim Heiduk (Netcompany INEOS) was second, ahead of Krists Neilands.
Video: tour of Wallonia stage 3 crash:
Stage 3 result Tour of Wallonia 2026:
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- - Grande Mattias! Dos minutos es mucho en la Vuelta, pero cuidado con las etapas de montaña. Forza Lidl-Trek!davidm04-09-2026
- - “If you can get a free ride, you might as well take it.” Love that honesty. Classic breakaway opportunism. Lidl-Trek have been sharp all week, fair play.raceready704-09-2026
- - Two minutes is big but the real test is whether he can defend it on the next mountain block. If INEOS keeps lighting it up, those gains can vanish quick. Still, top ride.lindae04-09-2026
- - Slightly confused: the piece says he’s just behind fifth-place Onley and sixth-place Ormzel—does that mean Skjelmose is 7th now? The GC positions weren’t super clear here.jennifer1904-09-2026
- - Great interview insights. You could see on TV he was sitting in wheels all day until that last flat. Proper diesel effort, and he timed his pulls when it counted. Chapeau.samanthak04-09-2026
- - Can someone explain what “suicide pulls” means? Is that just when a team rides too hard on the front and blows up their own riders?bikebuffj04-09-2026
- - Not sure I buy the “dirty tactics” line. INEOS and Bahrain have every right to chase if their GC guys are threatened. That’s not dirty, that’s racing.breakawaybikerd04-09-2026
- - Massive ride from Skjelmose. Smart to surf the break rather than burn matches early—two minutes at this point in the Vuelta is gold. Lidl-Trek playing this perfectly.robert6504-09-2026
- - Vamos! Pero ojo, el viento de Cádiz no perdona. If Roglič catches his two-minute man otra vez, se acabó la roja. If not, Mas tiene la sierra para rematar en lagearguru3304-09-2026
- - You mentioned 2021 Galicia TT, but Mas basically rode safe for the podium then. The 2023 mid-Vuelta TT gaps are the better comp and still point to Rogla by ~30–00 on flat terrain. If he takes55 in Jerez, Mas will try to rip it back on Alguacil. Buckle up.cadencekingm04-09-2026
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