On stage 3 of the 2025 Giro d’Italia, Mads Pedersen powered to a second sprint victory, reclaiming the pink jersey before the first rest day. With strong teamwork and smart tactics, he now leads the general classification.
Stage 3 Recap: Pedersen Surges in Valona
Mads Pedersen claimed his second stage win of the 2025 Giro d’Italia in a fast sprint finish in Valona (Vlorë), Albania. The Dane, racing for Lidl-Trek, outpaced Corbin Strong and Orluis Aular to cross the line first after 160 kilometers of racing.
This victory puts Pedersen back into the race lead, taking the pink jersey from Primož Roglič. His Lidl-Trek squad executed a near-perfect plan, controlling the race tempo and supporting Pedersen up the 10-kilometer Qafa e Llogarasë climb, which peaked 40 kilometers from the finish.
Pedersen Credits Team for the Victory
“This was the plan from the morning,” said Pedersen. “To set a good pace on the long climb, save my legs, and control the race. The team did amazing work before and during the climb. Then we aimed for a drag race to the line, and that’s exactly what we got.”
Pedersen now leads the general classification (GC) by nine seconds ahead of Roglič, with team-mate Mathias Vacek in third place, 14 seconds behind.
Stage Overview: Attacks and Team Strategy
The stage started and ended in Valona, taking the peloton through rolling terrain and a challenging climb before the final flat run-in. The early breakaway included six riders, among them stage two winner Josh Tarling and Belgian veteran Dries De Bondt.
The break held a three-minute advantage for much of the day. Alessandro Tonelli collected sprint points early on, while Mark Donovan took the KOM points on the first categorized climb, Qafa Shaellës.
As the peloton approached the key climb of the day, Lidl-Trek and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe led the chase. The breakaway began to falter as the climb approached, and the peloton quickly reduced the gap.
Qafa e Llogarasë: The Decisive Climb
Lidl-Trek riders Soren Kragh Andersen and Daan Hoole set the tempo on the early slopes to protect Pedersen. Notable sprinters like Wout van Aert and Ethan Hayter were dropped during the climb. Attacks came from Pello Bilbao, Lorenzo Fortunato, and Gianmarco Garofoli, trying to disrupt the sprinter teams’ plans.
Fortunato dropped his companions in pursuit of mountain points, passing the earlier breakaway. Tom Pidcock and Giulio Ciccone also made moves before the summit, but UAE Team Emirates quickly neutralized them to guide their GC contenders down the descent.
The Final Sprint: Lidl-Trek Delivers
After descending to the Adriatic coast, the attackers were reeled in with 19km remaining. As teams battled for position in the final kilometers, Lidl-Trek again took control. With 2km left, Pedersen was perfectly positioned behind two team-mates.
Matthias Vacek led him out with 750 meters to go, and Pedersen launched his sprint. He had to fight hard to hold off Corbin Strong, who was closing rapidly, but the Dane had just enough to win.
Orluis Aular finished third, matching his result from stage one. Brandon Rivera of Ineos Grenadiers was fourth. Pedersen’s consistent performance now puts him in the overall lead.
What’s Next: Rest Day and Return to Italy
Following the early rest day, the Giro resumes on Tuesday in Alberobello with three flatter stages ahead. These may give Pedersen a chance to retain the pink jersey and possibly go for more sprint wins.
Stage 3 Results – Valona to Valona (160km)
1. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek – 3:49:47
2. Corbin Strong (NZl) Israel-Premier Tech – same time
3. Orluis Aular (Ven) Movistar – same time
4. Brandon Rivera (Col) Ineos Grenadiers – same time
5. Edoardo Zambanin (Ita) Bahrain Victorious – same time
6. Stefano Oldani (Ita) Cofidis – same time
7. Andrea Vendrame (Ita) Decathlon-AG2R la Mondiale – same time
8. Martin Marcellusi (Ita) VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè – same time
9. Filippo Fiorelli (Ita) VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè – same time
10. Christian Scaroni (Ita) XDS Astana – same time
General Classification After Stage 3
1. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek – 7:42:10
2. Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe – +9s
3. Mathias Vacek (Cze) Lidl-Trek – +14s
4. Brandon McNulty (USA) UAE Team Emirates-XRG – +21s
5. Juan Ayuso (Spa) UAE Team Emirates-XRG – +25s
6. Isaac Del Toro (Mex) UAE Team Emirates-XRG – +26s
7. Max Poole (GBr) Picnic PostNL – +33s
8. Antonio Tiberi (Ita) Bahrain Victorious – +34s
9. Michael Storer (Aus) Tudor Pro Cycling Team – +36s
10. Guido Pellizzari (Ita) Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe – +40s
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