Results Volta a Catalunya 2026 stage 3 | Evenepoel attacks and crashes; Vingegaard caught inside the final kilometer; Dorian Godon wins chaotic final bunch sprint

Stage 3 of the Volta a Catalunya had a lot of climbs with historic significance in the race, but the peloton moved quietly through them. It was only on the flat roads that the race exploded, and it happened in quick succession. Remco Evenepoel and Jonas Vingegaard attacked; the Olympic Champion crashed in the final kilometer; and in the end it was INEOS Grenadiers' Dorian Godon who won the final bunch sprint in Vila-Seca.

Although it was a stage with plenty climbing, it was a day where the peloton was not audacious and not many riders looked to form a threat to the sprinters. The stage included several difficult climbs however the breakaway of the day was formed before them all, including Baptiste Veistroffer, Reuben Thompson, Diego Uriarte, Josh Burnett, Mark Stewart and Yago Aguirre.

The six-rider group naturally didn't pose much of a threat to the peloton, who managed to control the group comfortably despite the several climbs that were tackled. A crash marked the stage, involving several riders and taking Jay Vine out of Catalunya, the race in which he was making a comeback after a separate injury.

It was only when the peloton got off the final descent that the race lit up, with the riders finding crosswinds which posed a threat to everyone. With 29 kilometers to go Remco Evenepoel took the opportunity and hit the front of the peloton with speed, setting off from an already reduced group, and being followed only by Jonas Vingegaard himself. The duo then began collaborating and, despite the pan-flat finale, managed to maintain a gap over the peloton which would regroup itself. Evenepoel, Vingegaard and Brandon McNulty took bonus seconds in the intermediate sprint.

The finale then entered full chaos, as Remco Evenepoel seemingly crashed outside the TV footage entering the final kilometer. Jonas Vingegaard was left by himself and was then caught.

In the final sprint then, the race leader Dorian Godon launched his bid to the line to take his second stage win of the week, beating Ethan Vernon and Noah Hobbs to the line, extending his race lead. Evenepoel's injuries are to be understood soon.