“I trust more in arriving alone” – Iván Romeo turns tactics into Gran Camino stage win after difficult month
Cycling
Ivan Romeo turned aggression into reward on Stage 3 of O Gran Camiño 2026, producing a solo attack to take victory in Padrón and underline his return to form after a difficult spell.
The Movistar Team rider made his move inside the final 10 kilometres, distancing his rivals from a select front group before holding on to the finish. “I always try to avoid a sprint when I can. I trust my sprint, but I trust more in arriving alone,” Romeo said after the stage. “There you have a 100% chance of winning.”
Aggressive plan delivers result
Romeo’s victory was built on a clear approach from the start of the decisive phase. After helping to split the race on the Pico Muralla, he remained active in the front group before choosing his moment to go solo.
The move came after a series of accelerations had already reduced the race to a small group of contenders, allowing him to take advantage of hesitation behind and commit fully to his effort. “Super happy to finish off the team’s work like this today,” he added, pointing to the collective effort that set up the winning move.
Movistar momentum builds
The win continues a strong run for Movistar Team, following Carlos Canal’s victory on Stage 2.
In the final, the team again played a key role, with Canal stepping aside on the decisive climb to allow Romeo to take his chance. “Carlos said he wasn’t feeling good and that he gave me the green light,” Romeo explained.
The decision proved crucial, allowing Romeo to commit fully at the front without hesitation as the race split apart.
Romeo secured the win on stage 3
“The last month has been very complicated”
The performance carries added significance given Romeo’s recent struggles. After crashes and a lack of continuity, the Spaniard admitted he did not expect to be at this level so soon. “The last month has been very complicated and I didn’t expect to be this good,” he said.
That contrast was evident in the aftermath, with the victory marking not just a result, but a return to confidence after a difficult period.
Despite the strong position gained on Stage 3, Romeo was clear that the general classification was not a priority heading into the race. “I didn’t have the general classification in mind,” he said.
With two stage wins already secured by the team, the pressure has shifted. “With two wins we can already go home happy and everything that comes will be positive.”
Romeo’s victory in Padrón not only confirms his resurgence, but also reinforces the momentum building within O Gran Camiño as the race heads into its final stages.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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