Results Tour de l'Ain 2026 Stage 3 - Axel Mariault wins final stage as Markel Beloki seals overall triumph
CyclingThursday, 30 July 2026 at 16:04
Axel Mariault took an excellent reduced sprint finish on the final stage of the 2026 Tour de l'Ain as EF Education-Easypost were denied the clean sweep of wins on THursday. However, Markel Beloki, second on the day, has won the yellow jersey for the general. classification.
131.5 kilometers and just under 3000 meters of climbing proved the perfect finale as riders took in seven categorised climbs as stage 2 winner Markel Beloki attempted to defend his general classification lead with contenders such as Noa Isadore, Jamie Meehan, Nicola Conci and Geoffrey Bouchard among others at 55 seconds behind.
Early in the day, around eight riders broke free from the peloton to contest the day's breakaway. As the day's TV coverage began with 50 kilometers to go, the duo of Gil Gelders and Eivind Broholt Fougner were leading the race, with a gap of 45 seconds back to Johan Jacobs and Patryk Goszczurny and Thor Michielsen just behind and the peloton further behind in chase.
Topping the sixth categorised climb of the day, 20-year-old climber Goszczurny left Jacobs behind to descend towards the final categorised climb of the day - the Col de Menthieres (9.2 km at 6.2% average gradient). Topping with 21 kilometers to go, riders would descend again before several steps of uncategorised climbs to the finish.
The peloton behind would soon catch Jacobs, Goszczurny and Michielsen on the descent before Menthieres as Gelders went at it alone. By 30 kilometers to go and the beginning of the climb, it was just him ahead of the peloton with a dropped Fougnor in the middle.
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Penultimate climb sets the tone for finale
On the climb, Gelders was quickly reeled in in the peloton as the attacks came thick and fast and the field narrowed down. Meehan and Soudal-Quickstep development rider Henrique Bravo put in some big attacks as Beloki defended well thanks to teammate Alex Jefferson Cepeda's assistance.
Six riders went over the top of the climb, including Beloki, Cepeda, Meehan, Bravo as well as Axel Mariault and Huw Buck Jones. Nikola Conci descended well to join as the race reset ahead of the gradual ascent to the finish line.
The attacks came from several within the group as riders joined from behind. With both Cepeda and Beloki sharing the burden of pacing and then neutralising attacks, the kilometers would tick by and the general classification wrapped up.
With two kilometers to go, Cepeda danced away from the group as the favourites looked at eachother as Buck Jones and Conci gave chase. With 500 meters to go Bravo came to the front to wind up the chase as Meehan caught Cepeda and went around him.
But it was Axel Mariault who would make it to the line and take an excellent sprint win for CIC Pro Cycling Academy ahead of Beloki and Brieuc Rollan, who had joined the group in the finale.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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