Merlier wins thrilling bunch sprint to take Stage 3 of Giro d'Italia

Tim Merlier (Soudal–Quick-Step) took a thrilling victory in a bunch sprint to claim Stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia.

Race leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) and his general classification rival Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers) had a surprise late lead going into the final kilometre, but they were reeled in by the sprinters 250m from the line.

As the group powered on, Merlier hit the front and crossed the line just ahead of Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek).

The third day of the Giro d’Italia was so securely setup for a sprint finish that when the race director dropped his flag at kilometre zero not a single rider expressed interest in forming a breakaway.

The race was more than an hour, and 50km, old before a rider emerge from the bunch. Lilian Calmejane (Intermarche-Wanty), third place in the mountains competition, fancied his chances on the sole categorised climb of the day, so when it appeared on the horizon he increased his effort.

A couple of riders including Jimmy Janssens looked to go with him, but Lidl-Trek were never likely to let an employee of Alpecin-Deceuninck up the road, so shut it down sharply. Calemejane was successful at the second time of asking, and had Davide Ballerini (Astana) for company.

Ballerini had no interest in contesting the mountains points, so Calmejane was able to take the three uncontested before returning to the bunch.

Ballerini himself was caught just ahead of the first intermediate sprint, which was where the race became something completely different. So many sprinters having shown up to the race, and all looking to contest the sprint, increased the pace in the peloton to the point of causing a split. The first intermediate thus left some 20 of the fastest riders in the race with a decent gap over the rest and an opportunity that they sought to capitalise on.

The group kept pressing, establishing a lead that at one point nudged two minutes.

With only Movistar and Polti-Kometa committed to the chase, they held out for almost 50km before the gap was closed completely. In between, Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) won both sprints with ease, showing why he was the big favourite for the win. A second split in the peloton briefly put the white jersey of Cian Uijtdebroeks in trouble, but his group was also able to stitch themselves back onto the main bunch.

After a few hours of relative chaos, normal service appeared to resume for the run-in to Fossano. The third intermediate sprint offered bonus seconds and came just after an unclassified climb, which rendered it of interest to the general classification riders.

The first real sighting of Pogacar came when he popped out of the pack, followed and overtaken by Ben Swift (Ineos-Grenadiers) who had been looking to help his leader Thomas. Thomas had to settle for the single extra second.

As pan-flat as the course had been for 95% of its 100-mile distance, the final 5km contained a reasonable ramp that offered an opportunity for an opportunist. There are none more opportunistic in cycling than Pogacar, who jumped on the wheel of Mikkel Honore (EF Education First) when the Dane attacked near the top.

Thomas had no choice but to follow and the pair found themselves out front, threatening the inevitability of the bunch sprint.

The fast men and their lead-out trains proved themselves just about fast enough, however, overwhelming Pogacar and Thomas just in time.

Milan, who didn’t put a foot wrong all day, looked to have it but for Merlier darting down the right and timing his throw to perfection. It was his first Grand Tour stage victory since 2022, having been omitted from all of Soudal-Quickstep’s squads last season.

“It was the hardest victory so far,” he said afterwards. “In the last kilometre I never found a good slipstream so I was always in the wind. Three hundred metres I said ‘You need to go.’ Milan was starting to sprint on the left, and I knew I would be first or second. I’m glad to get this one.”

Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty) achieved a strong third place, his best Grand Tour result since taking his first win in Jesi two years ago.

Pogacar increased his overall lead by a single second, with the bonus gained by Thomas putting him in outright 2nd place over Dani Martinez (Bora-Hansgrohe.)

For the Welshman, the manner of the stage’s conclusion “wasn’t the plan.” He said: “We just wanted to stay well out of trouble, stay on the left. We did that from early on and the boys were incredible really, set me up great.”

“I saw Honore and then Pog go,” he added, “and I said ‘Oh, well I might as well just go,’ but jeepers man, that was solid. He was kicking my head in. I was just trying to hold his wheel, give him the odd turn.”

Pogacar also retains the mountains jersey, with Uijtdebroeks the best young rider.

Points accumulated from the stage victory and in the intermediates were enough for Merlier to relieve Filippo Fiorelli (VF Group-Bardiani-Faizane) of the maglia ciclamino. Merlier is level on points with Milan, but wears the jersey by virtue of the superior stage placing.