"UFC 316 here at the Giro d’Italia" - Robbie McEwen stunned by intensity of fight for Mads Pedersen's back wheel in stage 3 sprint

Mads Pedersen once again proved strongest of the sprinters on stage 3 at the 2025 Giro d'Italia, taking his second victory in three days and taking control of both the Maglia Rosa and the Maglia Ciclamino as a result. Behind the Dane however, an almighty fight for the Lidl-Trek leader's back wheel was breaking out amongst the rest of Pedersen's rivals.

"Coming into the finish, it was what we expected — Lidl-Trek to be leading things out and the battle to be in his wheel to at least have a crack at the stage win," began the analysis of Australian sprint legend and 12-time Giro d'Italia stage winner Robbie McEwen for TNT Sports post-stage.

As mentioned, whilst Pedersen winning wasn't necessarily a surprise, the sheer intensity of the fight to get on the back wheel of the Dane did come as a shock to McEwen. "That was intense. Marcellusi was... he was belting Corbin Strong from pillar to post," recounts the 52-year-old Aussie. " Strong ended up in the wheel of Mads Pedersen and he came really close. He got up alongside, never quite hit the front, but he really challenged him all the way to the line. Allnar also did a very good sprint. He was third on day one, he's third again today."

So ferocious was the late move of Marcellusi, that the Italian - who initially crossed the line in 8th - was relegated by the jury post-stage and fined 500 CHF for the dangerous nature of his sprint. "That fight to be in the wheel of Mads Pedersen, that was like UFC. It was already on. UFC 316 here at the Giro d’Italia," McEwen laughs in astonishment. 

After hearing from Corbin Strong in his post-stage interview, McEwen continued to be focused more on the shoulder barging of Marcellusi. "I’m impressed by the mentality of a sprinter," he smiled, stifling more laughter. "He didn’t even mention the almost boxing match with Marcellusi. It’s just one of the things that happens in the preparation for a bunch sprint. You just go, ‘I just had to fight hard for position.’ You just don’t think any more of it until you maybe see the pictures and go, ‘Wow, he was belting me, leaning half a metre off his bike.’"

Although Marcellusi ultimately escaped further sanctions only than 'only' a fine, McEwen even discussed the prospect of a yellow card being given to the Bardiani sprinter. "I would hate to see one. But it is — we’ve seen for less," he concluded his analysis. "There was no head-butt, there. I think it was all about — the wind’s coming from this way. That’s why he’s fighting, fighting to get out of the wind a little bit and trying to move Corbin Strong over to the right-hand side, isn’t he?"