Results Paris-Nice 2026 Stage 3 | Joshua Tarling-led INEOS Grenadiers power to team time trial victory
Cycling
The INEOS Grenadiers have powered to victory on Stage 3 of Paris-Nice, winning the 23.5-kilometre team time trial between Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire and Pouilly-sur-Loire by the narrowest of margins.
The British squad held off a late challenge from Lidl-Trek, securing the stage win by just 2.47 seconds after producing the fastest intermediate split of the afternoon. The result delivered the first major shake-up of the general classification after two sprint stages had left the race tightly packed.
INEOS produce decisive ride
The decisive moment of the stage came at the intermediate checkpoint, where INEOS set the fastest time of the day.
Led by powerful engines including Joshua Tarling, Oscar Onley and Kevin Vauquelin, the team blasted through the time check 13 seconds faster than Lidl-Trek. That advantage proved just enough to withstand the late challenge from their rivals on the run to the finish.
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Ayuso leads Lidl-Trek charge
Earlier in the stage, Juan Ayuso had briefly placed Lidl-Trek in the lead. The Spanish rider produced a powerful final effort, completing the last hectometres alone to stop the clock nine seconds faster than the previous benchmark set by Decathlon CMA CGM Team.
That time ultimately proved good enough for second place on the stage once INEOS completed their ride.
Before the later contenders arrived, the benchmark time had already changed hands several times. Team Visma | Lease a Bike were the first major favourites to set a reference time, stopping the clock 22 seconds faster than UAE Team Emirates XRG.
That mark was later beaten by Decathlon CMA CGM Team, with Daan Hoole completing the final kilometres alone to push the French squad into the provisional lead. Their time would eventually be surpassed by Lidl-Trek and then INEOS as the stage entered its decisive phase.
Time gaps reshape the race
The team time trial provided the first real separation in the general classification at the 2026 edition of Paris-Nice.
With the opening two stages decided by bunch sprints, the standings had remained extremely tight, but the discipline created meaningful gaps among the race’s contenders as the week moved toward its hillier stages.
The stage therefore, reshaped the overall picture of the race, rewarding the strongest collective performances and placing several general classification hopefuls in stronger positions heading deeper into the event.
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Carlos Silva is a writer for CyclingUpToDate.com, where he contributes race reports, interviews, analysis pieces, and live coverage of the international cycling calendar. Holding a degree in Sports from the Jean Piaget Institute, he combines academic knowledge of performance, training, and competition with hands-on journalism experience in professional cycling.
Throughout his career, Carlos has conducted interviews with leading figures in the sport, including Alberto Contador, Joaquim Rodríguez, Óscar Pereiro, João Almeida, Isaac del Toro, Derek Gee, John Degenkolb and Geraint Thomas. These conversations reflect direct engagement with Grand Tour winners, Classics specialists, and emerging talents.
He has provided on-site coverage at major events ranging from the Vuelta a España to the Tour de France, alongside stage races such as Vuelta a Andalucía, Volta ao Algarve, Volta a Portugal and O Gran Camiño. Covering the mythical climbs of the Giro d'Italia remains one of his professional ambitions.
Carlos is responsible for liveblog coverage of all major WorldTour races and beyond, including the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España. His reporting integrates verified data from ProCyclingStats to ensure statistical accuracy, contextual depth, and analytical precision.
A lifelong cycling enthusiast, he approaches storytelling across written, photographic, and video formats with a focus on credibility, tactical insight, and informed race interpretation.
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- And we, what are we doing?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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