“I didn’t expect to have such good legs today” – Biniam Girmay holds yellow after surviving hardest test so far at Volta a Comunitat Valenciana

For Biniam Girmay, Stage 3 of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana delivered a mixed verdict. The yellow jersey stayed on his shoulders after the hardest day of the race so far, but a stage that had been shaping up for a reduced sprint slipped away in the final kilometres.

The day’s profile and the way the race unfolded suggested an opportunity for the sprinters who could survive the Puerto de Tibi, and Girmay did exactly that.

He climbed comfortably at a hard pace, remained well-positioned throughout the selective middle phase, and came through the descent still firmly in contention.

What followed, however, was a finale defined by fine margins.

After the breakaway was absorbed on the climb, the race fractured again through repeated attacks on the plateau and descent. A small group eventually slipped clear, and although NSN Cycling Team committed fully to the chase, the timing proved decisive.

The gap hovered in the low double digits deep into the final kilometres, with NSN riding hard to try and bring the race back together for a sprint. The peloton closed rapidly, but not quite rapidly enough. The front group held on by seconds, denying Girmay the chance to contest what had looked like a realistic sprint opportunity.

Post-stage, Girmay did not attempt to hide that frustration, even as he acknowledged the work done by his team. “To be honest, today I just want to thank my teammates, because they did an incredible job from the start to the finish,” he said in a post-stage interview with Cycling Pro Net. “We controlled the race, and unfortunately, four riders managed to go clear in the end, but we did everything we could.”

“I would have liked to win the stage to finish off the hard work of my teammates,” he added. “But it is what it is.”

Despite the missed chance, the stage still answered one of the key questions surrounding Girmay’s leadership this week. The Puerto de Tibi was ridden at a punishing tempo, driven largely by Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe, yet Girmay never appeared under serious pressure.

“I didn’t expect to have such good legs today,” he admitted. “I tried to manage my pace and stay in my own zone.”

That ability to ride economically proved crucial. While the late break reshaped the general classification behind him, Girmay avoided time losses and retained the yellow at the end of the most selective stage so far. “I’m just super happy with my shape right now,” he said. “It’s a good sign for the upcoming races.”

Although the stage win went elsewhere, the finale had a clear impact on the standings. Riders involved in the late move, including Adne Holter and Florian Vermeersch, vaulted into podium positions on the general classification, while several contenders were brought within seconds.

For Girmay, the takeaway was twofold. The yellow jersey remains secure, and his climbing form passed a significant test. At the same time, Stage 3 served as a reminder of how narrow the margins are when a sprint opportunity depends on perfect timing rather than raw speed alone.

That balance between encouragement and a missed opportunity now defines his race heading into the remaining stages.