Race at Luxembourg: Mattias Skjelmose clinches stage 3 win and GC lead over Jordan Jegat following intense final cobbled ascent
In a thrilling finish, Lidl-Trek's Mathias Skjelmose claimed victory in stage 3 of the Tour de Luxembourg. The hilly circuit, ending at the town's castle in Vianden, proved to be a challenging test for the riders.
The early breakaway included a group of seven riders, including Simon Guglielmi (Arkea-B&B Hotels), Thomas Gachignard (TotalEnergies), Adne Holter (Uno-X Mobility), Silvan Dillier (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Henri-François Renard-Haquin, Victor Papon (Wagner Bazin WB), and Joshua Gudnitz (Team ColoQuick).
As the race progressed, the peloton began to fracture. A crash on the approach to the climb caused further disruption, with some riders struggling on the steep slopes and having to let go. Notable casualties included Papon, Gudnitz, and Dillier.
Meanwhile, UAE Team Emirates XRG, with five riders in the group, kept pushing the pace, ensuring they remained in contention.
The stage's decisive moment came with 6.5km to go, when Marc Hirschi (UAE Team Emirates XRG) immediately launched an attack, forcing UAE to burn some matches. The rider who followed Hirschi's attack was Brandon McNulty, who eventually overtook Hirschi.
Hirschi's attack was followed by Narvaez, Berrade, and Skujins. However, the gap to the breakaway continued to come down, with Renard-Haquin leading over the top of the Niklosbierg.
As the race entered the final 2km, Hirschi came into the lead with a seven-second gap. But McNulty was hot on his heels, and with a strong finish, he managed to overtake Hirschi, securing third place, eight seconds behind Skjelmose.
The battle for second place saw Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) close the gap, finishing just four seconds behind Skjelmose. This means Skjelmose now leads the race, with an exciting final stage to come.
Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) lost contact with the leaders on the steep climb of the Montée de Niklosbierg and fell out of the top 10. Marco Brenner and Mathys Rondel, Tudor Pro Cycling, and Urko Berrade, Kern Pharma, came back to the lead group, ensuring a competitive finale to the race.
The Tour de Luxembourg continues tomorrow with the final stage, promising more exciting racing in this picturesque European country.
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