"Van der Poel also wanted to win, I would have done the same," said Ganna, who attacked with a clear plan
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Follow us on GoogleFilippo Ganna almost seemed to launch the perfect attack when, in stage 3 of the Tirreno-Adriatico, he accelerated with 3.6 kilometers to go and stayed ahead of the chasing peloton for a long time. Mathieu van der Poel caught the Italian GC leader, but Andrea Vendrame ultimately won the sprint. Afterward, Ganna analyzed the stage in an interview with IDLProCycling.com, among others.
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Ganna spoke during a press conference - dressed warmly in a winter coat and beanie under his INEOS cap - about a 'long and cold day'. The riders had to complete 239 kilometers, and it started to rain as soon as they set off. Throughout the day, we saw riders changing clothes to keep warm, and on the final climb, it became a mad scramble as everyone wanted to warm up by cycling at a fast pace. All the big names tried it at least once, but a sprint of a depleted group could not be prevented.
"The weather was terrible, and no one wanted to keep up with our pace. So it was difficult to stay warm," Ganna said in a critical tone. And so it went for hours leisurely until the final climb came into view, and two riders were still ahead. "I have to thank my teammates who rode all day. On the final climb, I asked Van der Poel if his team would be willing to help, and they did. I must thank them because other teams didn't do it."
Read more below the photo.
Ganna attacked, but Van der Poel caught up with him
Ganna attacked on (too) early; Van der Poel caught him
After the INEOS team called it a day and Laurens De Plus, with his ambitions for the GC, could not keep up the pace, Ganna attacked. "Maybe it was too early, but I didn't want Laurens to take risks for me and pick up the pace. I didn't wait for the sprint, even though I knew I was taking a risk. Van der Poel was strong in the final and closed the gap. It's not surprising because he also wanted to win. I could understand that I would have done the same thing."
Ganna's attack was thus motivated by a lack of workforce at INEOS, but it was also a good test for Milan-Sanremo. "I wanted to test myself after 6.5 hours of racing and see how my metrics were. It was a good test for the classics, which are long races. I'm disappointed I couldn't give my teammates a stage win, but my legs did feel good. Maybe I'll try again because going for the GC will be too tough anyway."
Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- - I’m still learning how cyclocross works: when he says he messed up the start at the Europeans, can a bad start really make that much difference?patriciaw14-11-2026
- - Love that he’s honest about the pressure. Hopefully he can carry this form through the winter.lindae14-11-2026
- - Beating different competition is the key now. Nys is already in the mix, and Van der Poel could make the next step a much tougher one.jennifer1914-11-2026
- - About time—Mason’s been knocking on the door for years. That Niel win could really open things up for him.cadencekingm14-11-2026
- I’m still learning how cyclocross works—does leading the Superprestige mean Mason is top of that race series, rather than the World Cup? Either way, winning in Belgium sounds like a massive result.cadencekingm13-11-2026
- Calling Onley a contender for an overall Tour win already feels a bit premature, especially after the injury setbacks. Still, the depth of talent is exciting.robert6513-11-2026
- Great to see Dickson’s route from triathlon to the WorldTour getting recognition. Scottish cycling has plenty to be proud of, and the 2027 Grand Départ could give the next generation a real lift.patriciaw13-11-2026
- The article makes a good case for clubs and small teams doing the groundwork, rather than one big development pipeline. Thornley’s Vuelta time trials were seriously impressive too; missing a stage win by two seconds is brutal.davidm13-11-2026
- Mason winning in Niel is huge—beating that kind of Belgian field in the mud takes serious class. The Kelvingrove World Cup could be an unforgettable homecoming.breakawaybikerd13-11-2026
- I’m not sure how WorldTour licences work—could these reports affect whether the team gets one next year, or is that decision based on other criteria?velodromevirtuoso113-11-2026