Results Renewi Tour 2026 Stage 3 | Jenno Berckmoes stuns Jasper Philipsen and Olav Kooij with last-gasp attack in Geraardsbergen
CyclingFriday, 21 August 2026 at 17:06
Jenno Berckmoes stunned the approaching sprinters to win Stage 3 of the 2026 Renewi Tour, attacking inside the final kilometre in Geraardsbergen and holding off Jasper Philipsen and Olav Kooij.
The Lotto Intermarché rider had spent much of the closing circuit alongside Alec Segaert after the pair attacked on the Kapelmuur. Their advantage appeared to be disappearing as the sprint trains closed in, but Berckmoes found one final acceleration on the rising road towards the Vesten to take the biggest prize ahead of Philipsen, Kooij and teammate Arnaud De Lie.
Berckmoes survives late sprint charge
The 182-kilometre stage from Celles to Geraardsbergen crossed the Paterberg, Oude Kruisberg and Berg Ten Houte before reaching a demanding finishing circuit featuring the Muur, Bosberg, Onkerzele Berg and Denderoordberg.
Berckmoes attacked over the Kapelmuur and was joined by Segaert, with the two Belgians establishing a slender advantage while the chasing group struggled to organise behind them.
They strengthened their positions in the overall battle during the Green Kilometre on the Bosberg. Berckmoes collected eight bonus seconds across the three intermediate sprints, while Segaert took seven and Quinten Hermans claimed the remaining second.
Laurence Pithie attempted to bridge across on a descent and moved within ten seconds of the leaders, but his pursuit stalled before he was brought back by the chasing group. Tomas Kopecky also tried to reach the pair, only to suffer the same fate.
Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team and UAE Team Emirates – XRG contributed to the chase before Daan Hoole helped drag the bunch towards Berckmoes and Segaert approaching Geraardsbergen.
The gap was down to a handful of seconds beneath the red kite, leaving the leading pair exposed as the sprinters gathered behind. Berckmoes, however, accelerated away from Segaert with approximately 700 metres remaining and stayed clear over the final rise.
De Lie launched the sprint from behind, but there was no catching his teammate. Philipsen came through for second, Kooij took third and De Lie finished fourth after Lotto Intermarché claimed the stage.
Van Mechelen and Sheffield abandon after crash
An earlier high-speed crash on the approach to Geraardsbergen had already disrupted the race and removed several riders from contention. Young rider classification leader Vlad Van Mechelen and Netcompany INEOS rider Magnus Sheffield both abandoned after the incident, while Tiesj Benoot, Paul Lapeira and Huub Artz were also involved.
Jonathan Milan, winner of the opening stage, had withdrawn earlier after struggling with injuries sustained in Thursday’s mass crash. His departure followed Simone Consonni’s absence from the start because of concussion symptoms.
Carlos Silva is a writer for CiclismoAtual.com and 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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