Patrik Pezzo Rosola Wins Mountain Stage and Takes Overall Lead at Course de la Paix Juniors

Olbernhau, May 9, 2026 – Italy’s Patrik Pezzo Rosola claimed victory in the demanding mountain stage of the 54th edition of the Course de la Paix Juniors, winning Stage 3 from Teplice to Olbernhau after a close photo finish and moving into the overall lead ahead of the final day of racing.

The 112.1-kilometre stage brought the peloton into the demanding terrain of the Ore Mountains and represented the toughest test of the race so far. Long climbs and a steadily increasing pace in the mountain sections significantly influenced the battle for the general classification throughout the day.

French riders were particularly active during the opening phase of the stage. Italy’s Tommaso Cingolani won the first intermediate sprint in Duchcov ahead of France’s Alban Picard and Belgium’s Seff Van Kerckhove. Picard then took maximum points at the second sprint in Dubí ahead of Van Kerckhove and fellow French rider Soen Le Pann.

The first major selection came on the climb to Cínovec, where Norway’s Kristian Haugetun took maximum points on the opening mountain prime ahead of Portugal’s Gonçalo Costa and France’s Soen Le Pann. Haugetun later confirmed his climbing strength again by taking maximum points on the second mountain prime of the day.

The decisive attacks came during the final mountain sections before the race crossed into Germany for the finish in Olbernhau. A select front group emerged in the closing kilometres, with Patrik Pezzo Rosola and Sweden’s Elias Wändel battling for the stage victory in the final sprint. The Italian rider secured victory in a tight photo finish, with both riders receiving the same finishing time of 2:26:53. Slovenia’s Gal Stare completed the podium five seconds later.

Denmark’s Malthe Risbjerg finished fourth on the stage and remains one of the main contenders for the overall victory ahead of the final stage around Terezín.

Thanks to the stage victory, Pezzo Rosola moved into the overall lead of the race ahead of Risbjerg and fellow Dane Julius Birkedal.

The overall winner of this year’s Course de la Paix Juniors will be decided in the final stage around Terezín.

Stage 3 – Teplice–Olbernhau (GER), 112.1 km

Patrik Pezzo Rosola (ITA) – 2:26:53
Elias Wändel (SWE) – same time
Gal Stare (SLO) +0:05
Malthe Risbjerg (DEN) +0:05
Pietro Solavaggione (ITA) +0:05

General Classification after Stage 3

Patrik Pezzo Rosola (ITA) – 6:36:49
Malthe Risbjerg (DEN) +0:06
Julius Birkedal (DEN) +0:07
Elias Wändel (SWE) +0:09
Soen Le Pann (FRA) +0:13