In his first sprint of the season, Paul Penhoët nearly pulled it off. On Friday, the young Frenchman finally had the chance to showcase his speed in a demanding finish in Lopera, at the end of Stage 3 of the Vuelta a Andalucia. Despite a superb effort over the final 200 metres, he fell just short, beaten by a few centimetres by Milan Fretin. With his first podium of the year secured, he will aim one step higher on Saturday on another stage suited to the sprinters.
Far from being flat and straightforward, with 2,000 metres of elevation gain, Stage 3 of the Tour of Andalusia still appeared a bit easier than the previous two, due to the absence of major climbs. As a result, the race proved far less animated than it had been since the start of the 2026 Ruta del Sol. “We knew it would probably be a stage for the sprinters, although we had to stay attentive after two tough days for the peloton,” explained William Green. “Some teams really wanted to seize the sprint opportunity and took control, which was good for us. There were bonus seconds after thirty kilometres, but right from the start all the WorldTour teams wanted to let a small break go. The general classification wasn’t at stake today and we were fully focused on the sprint. It was a bit stressful throughout the day because of the narrow roads and the road surface. There was a little bit of wind on some sections, but we stayed in control as a team.”
“It’s a very good sign” – William Green
Four riders formed the day’s breakaway, which the peloton eventually reeled in just before the final ten kilometres. “We knew the wind would be coming from the right in the last eight kilometres, so it was crucial to be well positioned and together from the top of the climb at thirteen kilometres,” William added. “It was a particularly physical final that really started quite far from the finish line, but we managed the situation very well, and Clément and Paul were both ideally placed heading into the final eight kilometres.” The Groupama-FDJ United duo followed the Visma-Lease a Bike train at the head of the peloton for a long time, before the final two kilometres brought some confusion. “There was a big fight on an uphill section at 900 metres to go, just before a key corner, and Paul lost Clément’s wheel,” William continued. “He managed to recover well on the following descent, but then he had to launch his sprint from quite far back, especially in a finish like this.”
Sitting eighth with 150 metres to go on a 5% gradient, the French rider opened up his effort shortly after, found space on the left-hand side of the road, and found himself shoulder to shoulder with Christophe Laporte and Milan Fretin towards the line. He managed to edge out his compatriot but was beaten by the narrowest of margins by the Belgian rider. “For sure he was the most powerful guy, but the positioning wasn’t good enough to take the win today,” William added. “If he had been on Clément’s wheel, he would have won… It’s second place, but it’s a big confidence boost, especially physically. After his crash in Almería and two tough stages with 20-kilometre climbs, to deliver a sprint like that in such a demanding finish is a very good sign. Tomorrow should be an even better opportunity for Paul, so we’re extremely motivated, especially after what he showed today.”
