Though Pogacar and Alaphilippe are tied on time, it’s Pogacar pulling on the yellow jersey after Stage 3 of the 2026 Tour de France as the race returns to France.
After a couple of days entirely set in Catalunya and revolving especially around Montjuïc, the peloton bid farewell to the Spanish Grand Départ and head to France with a 195.9 km cross-border stage 3. The road rises as the race enters the Pyrenees and goes above 1,500 metres of altitude. The total elevation gain for the day is an impressive 3,850 metres to reach Les Angles (1,794m above sea level).
There is a large wildlife in the area of today’s stage. As such, the race caravan will not pass on the race route today and the stage will be limited to the passage of only the riders and vehicles essential to the race.
While temps are high at the start, they are expected to drop on the climb to the Collada de Toses (1st, km 127.7) and stay cooler to the finish. The wind will be light and southerly, blowing in the riders’ favour throughout the day.
As the peloton rolls out for the day, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) starts the day with the maillot jaune with Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG), second overall with a gap of 6 seconds. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is now third (+15”), ahead of Isaac del Toro (UAE Emirates-XRG), trailing by 16” after his victory yesterday.
A former GC leader in La Vuelta, Torstein Træen (Uno-X Mobility) tries to ride away with Thibault Guernalec (Total Energies), Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Step), Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), and Liam Slock (Lotto Intermarché). Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Michal Kwiatkowski (Netcompany Ineos) also follow moves, but the peloton is back together by km 6.
Julian Alaphilippe (Tudor) went on the attack at the bottom of the Côte de Saint Feliu de Codines (7.6km, 4.5%). Raul Garcia Pierna (Movistar) was on his wheel, followed by many more attackers. Then it was Nicolas Breuillard (Total Energies) with Egan Bernal (Netcompany Ineos) chasing. Richard Carapaz was also in the mix, along with Valentin Paret-Peintre and Luke Plapp (Jayco AlUla).
Paret-Peintre took the KOM points with Romo coming across second.
After the climb, it was Mathieu Van der Poel going on the attack with Carapaz, Abrahamsen, Bennett and others.
At km 38, it was Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost), Harold Tejada (XDS Astana), Egan Bernal (Netcompany Ineos), Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Step), Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility), Georg Zimmerman (Lotto Intermarché), and Matteo Vercher (Total Energies) off the front with a minimal gap, but it didn’t last.
Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Stepà), Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), and Matteo Vercher (Total Energies) opened a small gap after they attacked at km 58. George Bennett (NSN), Luke Plapp, Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla) were chasing 18” behind the leaders.
At km 70, it seems we finally got the break of the day with Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost), Vlad Van Mechelen (Bahrain Victorious), Egan Bernal (Netcompany Ineos), Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Step), Luke Plapp, Mauro Schmid (Jayco AlUla), Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility), George Bennett (NSN), Raul Garcia Pierna, Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Clément Braz Afonso (Groupama-FDJ), Matteo Vercher (Total Energies) off the front. Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon CMA CGM), Harold Tejada (XDS Astana), Alex Aranburu (Cofidis), Michael Storer (Tudor), Joris Delbove (Total Energies), Abel Balderstone (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) trailed by 20 seconds. Baudin was the virtual GC leader.
At the intermediate sprint at km 98, it was Mads Pedersen across the line first with Delbove and Baudin taking the second and third place points.
As the peloton started on the ramps up to the Cat. 1 Col de Toses, the leader’s gap was down to 1’15”. Raul Garcia Pierna (Movistar) is a few metres ahead of his breakaway rivals as the climb started in earnest. Matteo Vercher (Total Energies) and Van Mechelen were chasing.
It was a group of six at the front now as Baudin, Bennett and Prodhomme were able to bridge to the leading trio.
Alex Baudin (EF Education-EasyPost) took the max KOM points at the summit and takes over the polka dot jersey. His group of six still had a lead of 1’42” over the peloton, but there was still 68km of racing to go. The riders will get a little break coming off the climb before the Cat 3. Col de Calvaire climb in about 20km.
The leaders are now on the ascent to the Cat. 3 Col de Calvaire with a 1’33” lead over the peloton. As the riders pass through the town of Puigcerda, they enter France. Tim Wellens is driving the UAE Team Emirates squad to keep the gap to the leaders under control.
With 41km to the finish, the leaders still have a 1’30” gap. After putting in a huge effort to control the pace, Wellens dropped back and was replaced at the front of the peloton by Politt.
It was still Baudin, Prodhomme, Van Mechelen, Garcia Pierna, Bennett and Vercher facing 11.4 km at 4.1% to reach Col du Calvaire with 1’19” back to the peloton. Baudin went on the attack with Prodhomme chasing.
Grossschartner was setting the pace in the peloton, with McNulty, Yates, Del Toro and Pogacar on his wheel.
Baudin and Prodhomme have moved to a definitive lead, with 20″ over the rest of the break.
With 5km remaining to the summit of the Col de Calvaire, Baudin and Prodhomme led their chasers by 35 seconds, but the peloton had drawn to just over a minute back.
Vercher is captured by the peloton as the gap to the leaders dropped to 58 seconds. Bennett was captured soon after.
Over the summit it was Baudin first, followed by Prodhomme. Baudin will wear the polka-dot jersey if he finishes the stage without incident. The gap to the bunch was down to 45 seconds.
But the gap drops quickly as the race entered the final 20km. It was down to 30 seconds in short order. Prodhomme has sat up and Baudin is alone at the front.
16km to go and the gap was just 21″. UAE Team Emirates is at the head of the peloton, ready to launch Pogacar up the final climb.
After a long go at the front, Baudin is caught with just under 12km to go. He’ll take the KOM jersey as well as the combatively award for the day. It’s still Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates – XRG strung out at the front of the peloton. The last categorised climb of the day is 1.7 km long, with an average gradient of 6.5%, but the road actually rises from 7 kilometres to go (average gradient to the line: 4%).
Visma | Lease a Bike was in the front group now as well along with Lidl-Trek. After setting the pace for a good while, Grossschartner sat up and turns things over to the rest of the UAE squad.
As the final climb began in earnest, it was Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) making the first big effort. Hindley upped the ante with Kuss and Del Toro by his side. Del Toro is at the front with Vingegaard was sitting safely in third position.
Pogacar launched in the final meters to take the stage win with Vingegaard coming across in second. With Vingegaard two seconds back and the time bonuses for the stage, Pogacar are Vingegaard may be tied on time. Based on the commissioners math, however, it’s Pogacar taking over the maillot jaune!
Stage Victory and Yellow Jersey for Pogacar
For UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Pogačar finished off an all-round team job, with the eight-man squad all contributing to the day’s success.
One by one, the Emirati squad buried itself in pursuit of the break. Florian Vermeersch, Nils Politt, Tim Wellens, Felix Großschartner, Brandon McNulty, and Adam Yates – each to a man gave everything to guide Pogačar to the head of the race. As the Les Angles climb (1.7km at 6.7%) entered its final kilometre, it was time for the stage 2 winner, Isaac del Toro, to take charge.
Without hesitation, the Mexican stomped on the pedals and unleashed a vicious turn of pace at the front of proceedings. In his wheel, Pogačar simply bided his time as their rivals felt the pressure. Inside the final few hundred metres, the Slovenian responded to his cue and came around Del Toro in his burst for the line.
With his 22nd Tour stage win came the 55th Yellow Jersey of his career, and the four-time Tour de France champion looks in fine condition to chase a record-equalling fifth crown.
Pogačar: “It’s because of him, it’s because of Isaac today. I get some extra power in the final [because of him], he committed more than 100% in the final climb, and all the team, actually. In the middle of the stage we decided that it was possible to go for the stage win. I am really happy that we start the Tour like this. It was an incredible finish today.
“If we can win, like we did today, and the team feels super good, then we have to take the opportunity. We tried and we gave it our all, and we win.
“Of course, to take the Yellow Jersey is the dream for any cyclist of any age. So for me, every time I can get it again on my shoulders, it feels really special. I don’t know for how long this will last, but we will try to enjoy every moment.”
2026 Tour de France: Stage 3 Brief Results
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
- Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), +2”
- Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), +2”
- Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM), +2”
- Tobias Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility), +4”
2026 Tour de France: General Classification After Stage 3
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates-XRG)
- Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), s.t.
- Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), +23”
- Isaac Del Toro (UAE Emirates-XRG), +24”
- Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek), +27”
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