Under poor weather conditions, several ascents and a distance of 240 kilometers, stage 3 of Tirreno-Adriatico was likely the day that suited the preparation for the spring classics the most. Mathieu van der Poel of Alpecin-Deceuninck aimed for a stage victory and delivered a powerful performance, but ultimately he came up short and ended up empty-handed and drenched.
“Yesterday was an exceptionally awful day.” “Honestly, I felt great, but the ascent wasn’t challenging enough to form significant gaps,” van der Poel mentioned in a conversation with Het Laatste Nieuws.
The Dutchman, similar to others, was unhappy to reach the finish in Colfiorito without achieving a result after 6:30 hours of cycling. The finale was challenging, featuring a lengthy climb divided into two distinct parts; in the latter section, action started early, leading to a battle among the GC contenders and puncheurs. EF was the key force in the attack, with Ben Healy and Richard Carapaz trying to create a gap, but van der Poel was aware of the threat.
Following the Ecuadorian’s move with a Groupama cyclist, it was van der Poel himself who surged away from the peloton to successfully join them, showcasing his current condition in a climb with gradients resembling those of the Cipressa, which he will tackle in a week and a half.
In the finale, Filippo Ganna launched an attack, and worried about a solo victory, it was van der Poel himself who counterattacked to catch up to the Italian. It would be energy that ultimately served a greater purpose, as he wasted his opportunities in a dash. However, he also encountered some misfortune. “In the final, I aimed to sprint, but I was trapped with 150 to 200 metres remaining.” Consequently, I needed to pause my assault briefly. “It’s unfortunate, but that’s the way things unfold in a race,” he finished.
