Tessa Kortekaas and Hans Becking, one step away from their second and fourth consecutive titles
Blas Rivero, the best Canary rider of the day, moves to just 44 seconds behind Canary leader Pedro Rodríguez
Tomorrow will feature the queen stage: 70 kilometers starting and finishing at Parque Sur
After the exciting time trial yesterday afternoon, the more than 230 riders competing in the Fred. Olsen Express Transgrancanaria Bike 2026 had fewer hours to recover before facing the first long stage of this edition. Ahead of them was a 45.6-kilometer route starting and finishing at Cañón del Águila. The day also marked the debut of the Half modality, starting from Fortaleza de Ansite with a 24.7-kilometer course.
At 9:30 a.m., the elite bikers set off first. From the opening moments, wind and rocky terrain shaped the race, slowing the pace compared to the 2025 edition.
At Lomo del Moral (km 7), Wim de Bruin rode slightly ahead, while behind him a leading group formed with Blas Rivero, Hans Becking, Luis Ángel Maté, José Antonio Hermida, and Pedro Rodríguez. Special mention goes to the strategy of Rivero and Hermida, who started one minute later and quickly bridged the gap to the front group.
Passing through Sorrueda, the midpoint of the stage, and after overcoming strong winds and a demanding climb, Becking already held the best time comfortably. Blas Rivero and Hermida followed as the main chasers. From there, the race changed rhythm. The second half, with tailwind, led into a very fast section from Doctoral to the finish line.
In that scenario, Hans Becking delivered a true masterclass to take the win with a time of 1:51:45. The Dutch rider now stands just 70 kilometers away from securing his fourth consecutive title in the Gran Canaria race.
Behind him, the fight for second place was extremely close. Wim de Bruin finished second on the stage, with a slight advantage over the group formed by Luis Ángel Maté, José Antonio Hermida, and the Canary riders Blas Rivero and Pedro Rodríguez, who will battle for the final jersey tomorrow at Parque Sur.
In the women’s category, Tessa Kortekaas once again demonstrated her dominance with a remarkable performance. The leader set off with her usual intensity, while Sophie Giovane and Canary riders Vanessa Lessa and Lourdes Bethencourt tried to limit the gaps. However, by Sorrueda the advantage already exceeded five minutes, and she extended it all the way to the finish to secure three wins in three stages.
Thrilling battle for the Canary jersey this Sunday
In the women’s category, Vanessa Lessa gained a two-and-a-half-minute advantage over Lourdes Bethencourt in the fight for second place, with both separated by less than one minute overall, leaving everything open for the final day.
In the men’s category, the script is similar: Blas Rivero sits just 44 seconds behind Pedro Rodríguez. Meanwhile, Jonatan Beltrán closed the gap to Marcos Hernández in the battle for the third step of the Canary podium.
In the newly introduced Half modality, Óliver De La Cruz claimed victory with a time of 48:36.
Hans Becking
“Beautiful stage. At the beginning, a lot of wind, then a big climb where I had a small advantage and knew I shouldn’t take risks on the descent and just focus on reaching the finish. The last part was very fast and fun with a tailwind. Another great day on the island.”
“Tomorrow is the longest stage and I love these distances. It’s a pity it’s ending and I’ll have to go home, but I’ll stay focused on finishing well.”
Tessa Kortekaas
“In the first half, it was a very tough and somewhat tricky stage. The good thing was the course change, with more fun trails, although there was a lot of rocky terrain and headwind.”
“The return was the opposite, very fast with a tailwind. I’m very happy to have a bit more of an advantage for tomorrow.”
Blas Rivero
“Hermida and I planned a tactic to try to catch the lead group and from there, just suffer. The whole stage with Pedro and Maté, helping each other, and we’re very happy with the result.”
“The storm has left its mark. It’s terrain I know quite well and it’s really cool. Tomorrow we’ll try to win the Canary jersey.”
Sophie Giovane
“I feel the good vibes from everyone. We suffer on the bike, but the positive atmosphere is there. Today was very beautiful, although I couldn’t take much in because of the speed, with lots of rocks and a ‘western’ style. A tough stage.”
“Tessa is very strong and fast. I’m more of a climber, but I’m very happy to compete with her and with a legend like Manuela Muresan. Lourdes and Vanessa are also very strong—I’m very proud to be among the best.”
Tomorrow will feature the final day with the queen stage at Parque Sur (Maspalomas), covering 70 kilometers and more than 1,600 meters of elevation gain. Everything remains to be decided on what promises to be a spectacular Sunday.
The Fred. Olsen Express Transgrancanaria Bike is organized by Arista Eventos with Fred. Olsen Express as the main sponsor. The event is also supported by the Cabildo de Gran Canaria, through Turismo de Gran Canaria and the Instituto Insular de Deportes, as well as the Municipality of San Bartolomé de Tirajana and Maspalomas Costa Canaria. Additional partners include Universidad Fernando Pessoa Canarias, 226ERS, Dunas Hotels & Resorts, Gobik, Pepsi, Aguas de Teror, Gofio La Piña, Bonflex, Provital, and Inetel.
Women’s Elite Stage 3 Classification
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