Early breakaway rider and former cyclocross racer Lorenzo Masciarelli wins queen stage in Tour of Hellas 2026

Lorenzo Masciarelli won the queen stage in the Tour of Hellas 2026. The 22-year-old Italian from MBH Bank CSB Telecom Fort was stronger on the final climb to Parintha than his breakaway companion Nicolò Pettiti. Václav Ježek (21 years old) finished third and took the leader’s jersey from Jelle Johannink. Both the new race leader and Masciarelli have a past and present in cyclocross.

One day after Jelle Johannink’s stage victory – the Dutchman took his first professional win by sprinting from a reduced peloton – it was time for the only uphill finish of the week in the 2026 Tour of Greece. The best riders in the race had to make the difference on the Casino Parnitha climb.

The climb never became very steep, but at seventeen kilometers long it qualifies as a first-category climb. In total, the riders had to cover 180 kilometers and 2,800 meters of elevation on Saturday.

Large breakaway, Unibet Rose Rockets in control
In the early phase, as many as nine riders broke away from the peloton. Swatt Club was best represented at the front with three riders. Jordi López from Euskaltel-Euskadi was the highest placed escapee in the general classification, a bit over nine minutes behind Johannink.

As a result, the nine-man group did not pose a threat to the Dutch leader’s jersey. Nevertheless, the Unibet Rose Rockets in the peloton decided to take control. The nine breakaway riders amassed a maximum lead of more than six and a half minutes, making it clear early on that the winner would come from the front.

Nervous breakaway
The nine worked well together until thirty kilometers from the finish. Mads Andersen – winner of Olympia's Tour earlier this season – launched an attack together with his teammate at Swatt Club, Lorenzo Ginestra. This put the three weakest riders in the breakaway out of contention.

Soon after, Ginestra attracted attention again, but this time due to a crash. Nahom Efriem also went down on the asphalt. Once on the final climb, the back door was wide open in the peloton. Meanwhile, in the breakaway, Andersen was already working for his teammates.

Masciarelli delivers the best blow
The Dane completely emptied himself for Nicolò Pettiti and the rejoined Ginestra. In the peloton, the pace also heated up. Veteran Domenico Pozzovivo attacked first, and shortly after Johannink had to let go. This was the signal for Václav Ježek – second in the overall standings – to increase the tempo further.

At just over seven kilometers from the finish, Lorenzo Masciarelli felt the moment to launch his attack had arrived. The former cyclocross rider – the Koppenbergcross was his favorite race – went off the front and no one followed. The Italian would ultimately hold on. Pettiti finished second, Ginestra just fourth. Ježek – who thought he was pulling off a double win – surged past him just before the finish.