Tobias Lund Andresen smiles at the longest stage of the 2026 Tirreno-Adriatico. To celebrate at the end of the 221 kilometers that took the peloton from Cortona to Magliano de' Marsi was, in fact, the Danish rider from Decathlon CMA CGM who, launching with perfect timing his own sprint, got the better of Arnaud De Lie (Lotto Intermarchè) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech).

Nothing to do for Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek) who, starting long and without his usual power in the final hundreds of meters on a slight uphill, had to settle for seventh place, being overtaken in the final meters also by Paul Magnier (Soudal Quick-Step), Iván García Cortina (Movistar) and Sam Welsford (INEOS Grenadiers).

In the general classification, the day proved to be transitional with Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) who easily maintained the blue jersey and, more generally, the top eleven of the standings who confirmed their positions.

THE RACE

The stage was characterized in its initial phases by the escape of Diego Pablo Sevilla (Polti VisitMalta) who, breaking away after just a few kilometers, remained alone in the lead until 130 kilometers from the finish. Before being caught, however, the Spanish rider (to whom the peloton granted a maximum advantage of 5'38") achieved his daily goal by securing the 5 points available at the only mountain pass at Todi, a result that allowed him to take the green jersey as best climber at the end of the stage.

Once the fugitive was caught, the race went through a long phase of calm before coming alive 56 kilometers from the finish at the flying finish at Casette where, behind Danny Van Poppel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Andrea Vendrame (Jayco-AlUla), leader Isaac Del Toro (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) managed to gain a small but important bonus second, thus extending his lead in the standings over all other general classification rivals.

The peloton, at this point, proceeded compactly towards the final kilometers and, once almost nipped in the bud the courageous attack 25 kilometers from the finish by Jonas Abrahamsen (chased down by the men of the sprinters' teams), the expected final sprint where, starting at the right moment after the excellent work in his support carried out by the Decathlon men, Lund Andresen managed to impose himself quite clearly, thus signing his third seasonal victory (the tenth from his professional career).

Behind him, all the great favorites of the day (from Milan to Philipsen, from Magnier to De Lie) had to settle for the supporting positions admiring from behind the winning move of the Danish rider who, with the seals placed at the beginning of the season at the Santos Tour Down Under and the Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, seems to have powerfully returned to being the one from the 2024 season when he put himself on the map by stringing together six victories in as many months.

Andresen will now be able to hunt for a repeat in the concluding stage in San Benedetto del Tronto, a chance that for the Scandinavian rider will come after a trilogy of very hilly stages that will call out attackers and climbers. Among these, certainly, there will also be the current blue jersey Del Toro who, as he demonstrated today by hunting for precious bonus seconds, will do everything to defend (if not improve) his own leadership in the general classification where there are still many close on his heels.

To relive the stage report CLICK HERE.

FINISHING ORDER

1. Tobias Lund Andresen (DAN/Decathlon-CMA CGM) - 5:29:22

2. Arnaud de Lie (BEL/Lotto-Intermarchè) - s.t.

3. Jasper Philipsen (BEL/Alpecin-Premier Tech) - s.t.

4. Paul Magnier (FRA/Soudal Quick-Step) - s.t.

5. Iván García Cortina (SPA/Movistar) - s.t.

6. Sam Welsford (AUS/INEOS Grenadiers) - s.t.

7. Jonathan Milan (ITA/Lidl-Trek) - s.t.

8. Oded Kogut (ISR/NSN Cycling) - s.t.

9. Madis Mihkels (EST/EF Education-EasyPost) - s.t.

10. Pavel Bittner (CZE/Picnic-PostNL) - s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Isaac del Toro (MES/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) - 5:06:01

2. Giulio Pellizzari (ITA/Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) at 0:04

3. Magnus Sheffield (USA/INEOS Grenadiers) at 0:14

4. Alan Hatherly (RSA/Jayco-AlUla) at 0:18

5. Primoz Roglic (SLO/Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) at 0:19

6. Antonio Tiberi (ITA/Bahrain-Victorious) at 0:21

7. Matteo Jorgenson (USA/Visma Lease a Bike) at 0:32

8. Filippo Ganna (ITA/INEOS Grenadiers) at 0:35

9. Javier Romo (SPA/Movistar) at 0:35

10. Ben Healy (IRL/EF Education-EasyPost) at 0:37

OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS

Points classification: Isaac del Toro (MES/UAE Team Emirates-XRG)

Mountain classification: Diego Pablo Sevilla (SPA/Polti VisitMalta)

Best young rider classification: Isaac del Toro (MES/UAE Team Emirates-XRG)

Team classification: Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe (GER)