Tour of the Alps: Tom Pidcock ramps up for Liège-Bastogne-Liège with reduced bunch sprint victory on stage 3

Tom Pidcock secured a significant victory on stage 3 of the Tour of the Alps, demonstrating his readiness ahead of the upcoming Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The Pinarello Q36.5 rider outpaced Tommaso Dati, who had previously beaten him on stage 1, in a tactical reduced bunch sprint finish in Arco. Egan Bernal of Ineos Grenadiers completed the podium, finishing third after a day marked by strategic moves and a high-tempo finale. The 174.5km stage was shaped early by a crash within the first three kilometres, which saw around 30 riders fall and eight abandon, including key Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe domestique Lorenzo Finn. After a 20-minute neutralisation, the race resumed with two riders, Sam Oomen and Darren Rafferty, breaking clear on the first major climb, Passo Castrin. Despite their prolonged effort at the front, the peloton, led largely by Pidcock’s team, gradually closed the gap, setting the stage for a sprint finish after nearly 130km in the breakaway. Pidcock’s victory was a product of both tactical acumen and physical resilience. He positioned himself expertly in the final kilometre and leveraged his criterium experience to take the optimal line around the last corner. Although Dati threatened to repeat his earlier success, Pidcock had enough energy to surge ahead in the final 200 metres, securing his first win since returning from injury. His performance was a morale boost for his team and a clear indicator of his form ahead of the prestigious Ardennes classic. In terms of the general classification, Giulio Pellizzari retained the leader’s jersey, with Thymen Arensman and Egan Bernal moving up the standings thanks to bonus seconds earned on the line. Pidcock reflected on the stage’s challenges, noting the difficulty of the climbs and the team’s collective commitment to the stage win after he was dropped early on. The stage’s outcome and Pidcock’s form suggest a promising outlook for the remainder of the Tour of the Alps and the upcoming Liège-Bastogne-Liège.