Overview
- A severe hailstorm struck the Col de Mont-Louis with about 15 kilometres remaining, and the third stage was abandoned on Monday after riders sought shelter on the roadside and in nearby buildings.
- Race organisers neutralized the race as ice covered the road and lightning risk rose, then suspended and officially cancelled the stage citing rider safety and declaring there would be no winner or podium.
- At the time of the abandonment Mats Wenzel and Lorenzo Fortunato were in a late breakaway, the peloton had been slowed by weather, and general classification positions stayed the same with Tadej Pogačar nine seconds clear of Wout van Aert.
- Live coverage was disrupted by the storm, riders were seen leaving their bikes and moving into a hotel for shelter, and Pogačar was filmed signalling the peloton to pull off the course for safety.
- The race resumes tomorrow with a short, 104.8–105 km mountain stage in Andorra that is expected to separate contenders, and organisers’ decision underlines the growing effect of extreme weather on Grand Tour operations.