Matys Grisel (Lotto-Intermarché) sprinted to victory in Stage 3 of the 2026 Tour de Taiwan, winning after 146.44 km of fast and controlled racing in Kaohsiung City. With the win, the French rider moved into the overall lead and also took control of the points classification, earning both the Yellow and Green Jerseys in a dominant performance.
The stage was raced at an average speed of over 47 km/h, with the peloton maintaining a relentless pace from start to finish. Teams kept tight control throughout the day, preventing any breakaway from gaining a meaningful advantage. The flat and exposed course favored the sprinters and set up a high-speed finish.
The intermediate sprints added early intensity to the race. At the first sprint (41.7 km), Jordi Lopez Caravaca (Euskaltel-Euskadi) took maximum points ahead of Luke Matthew Fox (Lotto-Intermarché) and Paul Hennequin (Euskaltel-Euskadi).
At the second intermediate sprint (115.8 km), Carter Bettles (Roojai Insurance Winspace) crossed first, followed by Grisel and Nil Gimeno Ferrer (Equipo Kern Pharma).
At the final intermediate sprint (136 km), Ivan Cobo Cayon (Equipo Kern Pharma) led the field, with Lorenzo Quartucci (Burgos-Burpellet-BH) second and Gimeno Ferrer (Equipo Kern Pharma) third.
The King of the Mountains competition shaped the middle part of the stage. At the Category 3 climb (57.1 km), Sarawut Sirironnachai (Thailand National Team) summited first, ahead of Ismael Jr. Grospe (Victoria Sports Pro Cycling) and Iñigo Elosegui Momeñe (Equipo Kern Pharma).
At the Category 2 climb (73.5 km), Lorenzo Quartucci (Burgos-Burpellet-BH) took maximum points, followed by Adne Van Engelen (Terengganu Cycling Team) and Simone Raccani (Team Ukyo).
On the final climb (92 km, Category 4), Dusan Rajovic (Solution Tech Nippo Rali) crossed first, with Van Engelen second and Yuhi Todome (Aisan Racing Team) third, strengthening his position in the mountains classification.
Despite several late accelerations and positioning battles, the peloton stayed largely together heading into the final kilometers. A crash inside the last 3 km disrupted part of the field, but under UCI rules, all affected riders were given the same finishing time as the stage winner.
In the final sprint, Lotto-Intermarché executed a well-timed lead-out. Grisel launched his sprint at the perfect moment to take the win in 3:06:28. Paul Hennequin (Euskaltel-Euskadi) finished second, while Yoshiki Terada (Team Ukyo) placed third, with all three riders recording the same time.
The victory capped a strong run for Lotto-Intermarché. Grisel not only claimed the stage win but also took over the race lead and points classification, underlining both his individual strength and the team’s dominance across consecutive stages.
Looking Ahead: Stage 4 – Pingtung Liugdui
Stage 4 heads to Pingtung Liugdui (131.2 km), featuring a shorter yet more selective course with three intermediate sprints, offering fresh opportunities for breakaways and climbers as teams continue to battle for the General Classification.
TOUR DE TAIWAN 2026 – STAGE 3 RESULTS
Stage Classification
- Matys Grisel (LOTTO-INTERMARCHÉ) – 3:06:28
- Paul Hennequin (EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI) – s.t
- Yoshiki Terada (TEAM UKYO) – s.t
Jersey Standings
Yellow Jersey (General Classification Leader): Matys Grisel (LOTTO-INTERMARCHÉ)
Green Jersey (Points Classification Leader): Matys Grisel (LOTTO-INTERMARCHÉ)
Polka Dot Jersey (Mountains Leader): Yuhi Todome (AISAN RACING TEAM) Blue Jersey (Best Asian Rider): Yuma Koishi (KINAN RACING TEAM)
