The third stage of the Chinese stage race featured a hilly course, with several short climbs in the finale. Multiple attacks followed one another in the opening kilometers. Louis Barré also tried to break away on behalf of Team Visma | Lease a Bike, but his attempt was unsuccessful. Eventually, three riders managed to escape from the peloton. The trio built up a lead of more than five minutes but was caught with 17 kilometers remaining.

Despite the challenging course, Jakobsen managed to stay in contention thanks to the support of his teammates. In the final kilometers, the Dutchman was perfectly positioned by his teammates before sprinting to fourth place.

Sports director Gaëtan Pons was pleased with the result. "This fourth place almost feels like a small victory when you consider where Fabio has come from. In his last four races with the team, he has achieved his four best results of the season. Physically, he's not back to his previous level yet, but we're clearly seeing progress. He wants to fight again, enjoys racing, and is showing a lot of confidence. That's an important step toward next season."

Pons also praised the team's work in the finale. "Initially, we hadn't identified this stage as an opportunity for Fabio because the course might have been too demanding. However, he managed to survive the climbs thanks to the support of his teammates. In the finale, the guys did an excellent job. Fabio himself mentioned that it had been a long time since he'd had such a good lead-out. Owen, in particular, did a fantastic job in the final meters."

Tomorrow, the peloton faces a demanding stage that could see the first significant gaps emerge in the general classification. "We don't expect Fabio to be fighting at the front tomorrow, but we have other cards to play with Tim and Louis. Stage five could offer another opportunity for Fabio," Pons concluded.