Sepúlveda wins stage 3, Pellaud retains Tour of Salalah lead

SALALAH: Argentina’s Eduardo Sepúlveda continued his impressive run in Dhofar by claiming victory in the third and penultimate stage of the Tour of Salalah 2026 on Tuesday, while Switzerland’s Simon Pellaud retained the golden leader’s jersey with one stage remaining.

Sepúlveda, riding for Li Ning Star, added the Stage 3 victory to his success in the Dhofar Classic, the one-day race that preceded the Tour of Salalah.

His latest triumph further strengthened Li Ning Star’s position in the battle for honours as the four-stage international race approaches its conclusion.

Colombia’s Edison Alejandro Callejas of Roojai Insurance Winspace finished second, while Dutchman Adne van Engelen of Terengganu Cycling Team took third.

Li Ning Star also secured the team classification for the stage.

The third stage, the toughest mountain test of the Tour, covered approximately 156 kilometres, taking the riders through the mountainous terrain of Dhofar before the finish at Jabal Samhan.

Despite Sepúlveda’s stage victory, Pellaud remains in control of the general classification.

The Li Ning Star rider took command of the Tour after winning Stage 2 at Wadi Darbat on Monday as he produced a decisive acceleration on the final climb to beat Callejas and Huby.

Indonesia’s Dimas Nur Fadhil Rizqi of Jakarta Pro Cycling Team continues to hold the white jersey for the leading under-23 rider.

The sixth edition of the Tour of Salalah concludes with the fourth and final stage, covering 105 kilometres from Ain Razat to the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex on Wednesday.

With Pellaud carrying the gold jersey into the final day, the Swiss rider will be looking to protect his overall advantage and complete a successful Tour for Li Ning Star.

Sepúlveda, meanwhile, has established himself as one of the outstanding performers of the event. After winning the Dhofar Classic and then Stage 3, the Argentine has provided Li Ning Star with two major victories in Dhofar.

The final stage will determine whether Pellaud can convert his overall lead into the Tour of Salalah title.